Definition:Polar Triangle

Definition

Let $\triangle ABC$ be a spherical triangle on the surface of a sphere whose center is $O$.

Let the sides $a, b, c$ of $\triangle ABC$ be measured by the angles subtended at $O$, where $a, b, c$ are opposite $A, B, C$ respectively.

Let $A'$, $B'$ and $C'$ be the poles of the sides $BC$, $AC$ and $AB$ respectively which are in the same hemisphere as the points $A$, $B$ and $C$ respectively.

Then the spherical triangle $\triangle A'B'C'$ is the polar triangle of $\triangle ABC$.

Also see

• Results about polar triangles can be found here.

Sources

• 1976: W.M. Smart: Textbook on Spherical Astronomy (6th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $\text I$. Spherical Trigonometry: $11$. Polar formulae.
• 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): polar triangle