Galactic coordinate system

A celestial coordinate system that locates objects by longitude and latitude relative to the plane and center of the Milky Way.

Celestial coordinate system: A system for specifying positions of objects on the celestial sphere using angular coordinates. Galactic coordinates are one system for mapping positions across the celestial sphere.
Equatorial coordinate system: A celestial coordinate system that locates objects using right ascension and declination relative to Earth's equator. Its equator-based axes differ from the Milky Way-based axes.
Milky Way: The barred spiral galaxy containing the Sun and its planetary system. Galactic coordinates align with the disk of the Galaxy that defines their reference plane.
International Astronomical Union: The international organization of professional astronomers that standardizes astronomical nomenclature and conventions. It adopted the standard Galactic coordinate system used in modern astronomy.
Galactic plane: The plane through the Milky Way's disk, defined by the distribution of its stars and gas. Galactic latitude measures angular distance north or south of this plane.
Right ascension: An angular coordinate measured eastward along the celestial equator from the vernal equinox. It is one output coordinate when Galactic positions are converted to equatorial form.
Interstellar medium: The gas, dust, and energetic particles occupying the space between stars. Its disk-wide distribution is often mapped against Galactic longitude and latitude.
Blaauw et al. 1959: A 1959 report by Adriaan Blaauw and coauthors that recommended definitions for Galactic coordinates. The report established conventions that shaped the modern coordinate grid.
Galactic center: The central region of the Milky Way, containing the Galaxy's dynamical center and Sagittarius A*. The standard longitude origin points toward this central region.
Declination: An angular coordinate measuring position north or south of the celestial equator. It pairs with right ascension in transformations from Galactic coordinates.

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