Dictionary term
Hour Angle
Direct answer
Hour Angle measures westward angular distance from the local meridian to an object’s hour circle.
It tells how far an object is from meridian transit.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Astronomy & Skywatching
- Also appears in
- Astronomy & Skywatching
- Aliases
- None listed
- Last updated
- 2026-07-16
Quick reference
- Use when
- Use signed or wrapped values consistently and state the convention.
- Do not use it for
- Hour angle is angular time, not the duration an object has been visible.
- Reference category
- Astronomy & Skywatching
- Related terms
- Celestial Meridian, Local Meridian, Position Angle, Angular Separation
The story behind Hour Angle
Hour angle was fundamental to transit instruments and equatorial mounts.
Hour Angle in spiritual tradition
A single angle can locate a moment within Earth’s turning.
The Great Almanac frames Hour Angle with educational restraint. Mystical or symbolic language may be meaningful, but it should not be exaggerated into certainty, panic, or permission to ignore ordinary responsibility.
Hour Angle in the Bible
This is a factual astronomy reference. It can support wonder at the created order without becoming a claim of fate, worship, or private revelation.
Hour Angle in numerology
Hour Angle is not a numerology claim. Any numbers attached to it should retain their ordinary scientific, calendrical, navigational, or historical meaning unless a separate symbolic interpretation is clearly labeled.
Why Hour Angle matters
It links right ascension, local sidereal time, and telescope tracking.
Example in a reading: An hour angle of zero means the object is on the meridian.
Interpretive caution: Hour angle is angular time, not the duration an object has been visible.
How Hour Angle is used in a reading
Use signed or wrapped values consistently and state the convention.
Where interpretation stops
Hour Angle is presented as sourced astronomy, calendrical, Earth-science, cultural, or instrument-history reference. Definitions should distinguish measured phenomena from civil convention and historical interpretation, preserve location and time dependencies, and avoid turning factual sky data into a deterministic personal claim.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- U.S. Naval Observatory: Astronomical Almanac Glossary - Definitions for astronomical coordinates, time, reference systems, and observable phenomena.
- International Astronomical Union: Standards of Fundamental Astronomy - IAU-maintained standards and algorithms for astronomical reference systems and coordinate transformations.
The page starts with a direct definition, then separates use, example, caution, spiritual meaning, and historical context. For astrology, occult, demonology, curse, and spiritual warfare terms, the editorial rule is to explain the term without making fear-based, fatalistic, medical, legal, financial, or ritual-instruction claims.
Continue learning
Continue from the definition into current sky positions, space weather, and the live collective celestial view.
Open Worldwide WatchRelated terms
These related entries help place Hour Angle inside a wider reference cluster instead of leaving it as a standalone keyword.
