altazimuth
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˌæltəˈzɪməθ/
- Specialized
- Many amateur astronomers prefer the altazimuth design for its simplicity during stargazing.
- altazimuth mount
- altazimuth mode
- altazimuth telescope
Examples
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The observatory is equipped with a new altazimuth telescope for tracking satellites.
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Modern altazimuth mounts allow telescopes to move smoothly in both axes.
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Surveyors used an altazimuth to record the position of the star.
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The astronomer used an altazimuth to track the stars.
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An altazimuth helps in determining the position of planets.
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The astronomer used an altazimuth telescope to track the satellites moving across the sky.
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An altazimuth mount allows for easy tracking of celestial objects both vertically and horizontally.
Synonyms
1
9.9
An old instrument used to measure how high stars are and find direction at sea
1
9.5
An instrument that measures star positions and brightness
Surface Forms
Morphology
altazimuth = altitude + azimuth (semi-transparent) = alt + azimuth
Formed as a compound of altitude (here abbreviated as 'alt') + azimuth and directly names an instrument measuring those quantities, but 'alt' is an abbreviated/combining form and 'azimuth' is a technical term unfamiliar to average learners.
Etymology
Altazimuth joins altitude ('height') and azimuth (from the Arabic as-sumut, 'the directions'). So, an altazimuth is a tool for measuring the 'height and direction' of stars or satellites.