How do I find how far over the horizon a star is on given date?

I'm probably being thick, but I want to know how far over the horizon a certain star will be on 2nd Dec, 2am. I have it's co-ordinates but this is the same all year round isn't it? How do I figure out how far over the horizon it is on this date? Thanks.How do I find how far over the horizon a star is on given date?I think your 'over the horizon' can be taken as the elevation above the horizon (towards the zenith). if it is so you need to translate star's co-ordinates (Right Ascension / Declination) into your (local) co-ordinates of 'Azimuth / Elevation' (Az/El). Some call 'elevation' as 'altitude'. Azimuth indicates how much you go round the horizon, clockwise (towards east, south and west back to north), starting with North Pole.

I assume that like me you too are in the Northern Hemisphere.

There are some thumb rules.

1. The difference between your local latitude %26amp; declination of the star is the dip angle, which is the distance from zenith (or '90 - elevation'). This (dip) angle is the angle of the star on its 'culmination' (that happens every day at a particular time in 24hours) or passage over the main local meridian(line joining north pole %26amp; zenith from horizon:north to horizon:south). If dip angle is negative it implies the star is to the north of zenith.

2. RA (Right Ascension) : It is given in hours/minutes/seconds. RA= '0' hrs corresponds to noon on March 21 (VE). The culmination of the star is at local 'noon'. From that position add 4minutes (in RA) everyday to know the culmination of the star in local time. Like I said it advances 4 minutes everyday. By comparison you can guess how far it would be at any other time, from its point of culmination on its 'arc' of travel across the sky.

This arc may be shorter if the star is nearer to north or south horizon. The arc is always parallel to but shifted from the Celstial Equator, which though connects East (Az=90) %26amp; West (Az=270) points is tilted away from the zenith by an extent of your latitude towards south. So Celestial Equator is not vertical except on the (Terrestrial) Equator, where the latitude is '0'.

If you need exact equations to work with, for conversion from 'RA/Decl' of the star to your local 'Az/El' you need visit a suitable site either in Wikipedia or Google (or some such thing).How do I find how far over the horizon a star is on given date?No, you're not being "Thick", necessarily. Get the Right Ascension %26amp; Declination Position of the ZENITH at your location on the date %26amp; at the time you specified. Subtract 90 degrees or 6 Hrs from that ( Zenith to Horizon ). What's left will be the additional angle BELOW the horizonHow do I find how far over the horizon a star is on given date?The easiest way is to use a planetarium software program like Starry Night. It will do all the calculations for you automatically.

sonic electronix