Angular distance
In mathematics and all natural sciences, the angular distance between two point objects, as viewed from a location different from either of these objects, is the angle of length between the two directions originating from the observer and pointing toward these two objects.
Angular distance shows up in the classical mechanics of rotating objects alongside angular velocity, angular acceleration, angular momentum, moment of inertia and torque.Use
The term angular distance is technically synonymous with angle itself, but is meant to suggest the linear distance between these objects.Measurement
Since the angular distance is conceptually identical to an angle, it is measured in the same units, such as degrees or radians, using instruments such as goniometers or optical instruments specially designed to point in well-defined directions and record the corresponding angles.Equation
In order to calculate the angular distance in arcseconds for binary star systems, extrasolar planets, solar system objects and other astronomical objects, we use orbital distance,, in AU divided by stellar distance in parsecs, per the small-angle approximation for :
Given two angular positions, each specified by a right ascension, ; and declination,, the angular distance between the two points can be calculated as,
