time diagram

time diagram

[′tīm ‚dī·ə‚gram] (astronomy) A diagram in which the celestial equator appears as a circle, and celestial meridians and hour circles as radial lines; used to facilitate solution of time problems and other problems involving arcs of the celestial equator or angles at the pole, by indicating relations between various quantities involved; conventionally, the relationships are given as viewed from a point over the South Pole, in a westward direction or counterclockwise. Also known as diagram on the plane of the celestial equator; diagram on the plane of the equinoctial.