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> Agreed.  I spent a fair bit of time searching for some meaning of the word,
> "sensible" and how that could have become attached to the concept of
> "sensible horizon", which is not at all sensible to the neophyte, in any
> sense of the word that I can discover.

Jim

Not sure it is "sensible" to the expert either unless a representation is
made into a drawing;-)  Love those low-heat-to-light debates.  Is the
celestial horizon real?  Many will argue, "Yes, of course."  I reply, "Show
it to me.  It does not exist until sentient beings conceive it and name it.
It is just a concept." Which is why I so love the word "conceptual."  As in
"a conceptual line."

It would handy if the celestial horizon was real and sensible.  Want to know
east or west?  Look at where it meets the horizon.  Want latitude?  Measure
from the horizon to the highest point on the arc, and voila, colatitude.
Curious about a body's declination?  Just measure from from the arc. 

Bill

   

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