Sky science
Small Circle
Direct answer
Small Circle: A Small Circle is formed when a plane cuts a sphere without passing through its center.
It is a spherical circle smaller than a great circle.
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At a glance
- Found in
- Astronomy & Skywatching
- Related
- Prime Vertical, Great Circle, Celestial Horizon, Reference Epoch
It is a spherical circle smaller than a great circle.
A scientific orientation to scale, light, or motion; the article supplies the precise definition.
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The story behind Small Circle
Spherical astronomy formalized small circles alongside great circles.
A one-minute story
The Wandering Stars
How the moving planets were watched, named and found, and what a transit is.
Why Small Circle matters
Small Circle describes paths such as constant-declination parallels away from the celestial equator.
Small Circle in practice: an example
A star’s ideal diurnal path at fixed declination traces a small circle around the pole.
Where readings of Small Circle go wrong
Small-circle distance is not generally the shortest path between two sky positions.
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.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Astronomy & Skywatching
- Last updated
- 2026-09-26
Compare great and small sky circles
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Common questions
What is a Small Circle?
A Small Circle is formed when a plane cuts a sphere without passing through its center.
What do people get wrong about a Small Circle?
Small-circle distance is not generally the shortest path between two sky positions.
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