<p>For humans <em>up</em> and <em>down</em> is related to gravity. So you would need to choose a reference first. If you are in outer space and your feet point to the sun and your head to Jupiter, you'd be rightside up (if the sun is the center) and upside down (if Jupiter is the reference).</p>

<p><em>North</em> and <em>south</em> do not have any physical relationship with <em>up</em> and <em>down</em>. Neither in our planet, nor in space.</p>

<p>In space you have to choose a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_coordinate_system" rel="nofollow noreferrer">coordinate system</a>. In those systems you have a reference plane, latitude and longitude. For latitude (+90 to -90) the positives numbers are those that would correspond to the north of the equatorial plane.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-24T18:04:29.703Z
2020-05-24T22:45:42.147Z
2020-05-24T22:45:42.147Z
Eduardo Trápani
<p>Every model of the solar system seems to follow a specific orientation in which the upper side of the system is Earth's north half and the lower side of the system is Earth's southern half. So is North and South in space, or up and down based on Earth's up and down?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-25T20:50:43.807Z
You might possibly find this question and my answer interesting, as it deals with fictional examples of up and down in outer space and discusses the fictional and imaginary physics needed for up and down in space to be real. https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/231826/is-there-a-specific-orientation-that-starships-must-be-in-in-the-star-trek-and-s
M. A. Golding
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-25T21:48:05.310Z
@M.A.Golding Yeah, that was actually my question too. X) I needed to learn the basics of how directions/orientation is determined in space so I could better understand how it would work in sci-fi, and additionally, Astronomy Stack Exchange was where I could get scientific, real answers, while I could get the Star Trek-universe or sci-fi answers on Sci-fi Stack Exchange.
Sovereign Inquiry
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-26T17:43:25.230Z
Down is where the Enemy's Gate is.
Carl Witthoft
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-26T19:31:42.223Z
@CarlWitthoft I looked that quote up and found that it was from "Ender's Game." I remember watching the movie years ago--and then I got hooked on reading the summary in Wikipedia and reading the "Ender's Game wiki" thing.
Sovereign Inquiry
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-29T15:31:02.390Z
Does this answer your question? ["Up" and "down" in Space](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/10702/up-and-down-in-space)
Nilay Ghosh
<solar-system>
How do we define "up and down" in space?
Sovereign Inquiry
# How do we define "up and down" in space?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-05-24)

Every model of the solar system seems to follow a specific orientation in which the upper side of the system is Earth's north half and the lower side of the system is Earth's southern half. So is North and South in space, or up and down based on Earth's up and down?

**Tags:** solar-system

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: You might possibly find this question and my answer interesting, as it deals with fictional examples of up and down in outer space and discusses the fictional and imaginary physics needed for up and down in space to be real. https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/231826/is-there-a-specific-orientation-that-starships-must-be-in-in-the-star-trek-and-s  
> **username_0**: @M.A.Golding Yeah, that was actually my question too. X) I needed to learn the basics of how directions/orientation is determined in space so I could better understand how it would work in sci-fi, and additionally, Astronomy Stack Exchange was where I could get scientific, real answers, while I could get the Star Trek-universe or sci-fi answers on Sci-fi Stack Exchange.  
> **username_2**: Down is where the Enemy's Gate is.  
> **username_0**: @CarlWitthoft I looked that quote up and found that it was from "Ender's Game." I remember watching the movie years ago--and then I got hooked on reading the summary in Wikipedia and reading the "Ender's Game wiki" thing.  
> **username_3**: Does this answer your question? ["Up" and "down" in Space](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/10702/up-and-down-in-space)  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2020-05-24. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

For humans *up* and *down* is related to gravity. So you would need to choose a reference first. If you are in outer space and your feet point to the sun and your head to Jupiter, you'd be rightside up (if the sun is the center) and upside down (if Jupiter is the reference).

*North* and *south* do not have any physical relationship with *up* and *down*. Neither in our planet, nor in space.

In space you have to choose a [coordinate system](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_coordinate_system). In those systems you have a reference plane, latitude and longitude. For latitude (+90 to -90) the positives numbers are those that would correspond to the north of the equatorial plane.


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