<p>Given the cords of AE aurigae:</p>

<p><strong>RA 05h 16m 18.1s DEC +34° 18' 49"</strong></p>

<p>And Alnitak in Orion's belt:</p>

<p><strong>RA 05h 40m 45.52666s DEC  −01° 56′ 34.2649″</strong></p>

<p>I get an angular separation of 34.83°</p>

<p>By this formula:</p>

<p>$\cos(A) = \sin(\mathrm{DEC}_1)\cdot \sin(\mathrm{DEC}_2) + \cos(\mathrm{DEC}_1)\cdot \cos(\mathrm{DEC}_2)\cdot \cos(\mathrm{RA}_1 - \mathrm{RA}_2)$</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-15T20:24:23.893Z
Useful link: http://www.gyes.eu/calculator/calculator_page1.htm
James K
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-15T20:25:43.457Z
I was a little off at 42 degrees. That was by visual inspection.
MichaelJRoberts
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-15T20:27:19.513Z
I was going from M42 as well.
MichaelJRoberts
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-15T20:28:14.593Z
@MichaelJRoberts It helps to know the destination :)
SE - stop firing the good guys
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-15T20:22:50.373Z
2016-02-15T20:37:28.580Z
2016-02-15T20:37:28.580Z
SE - stop firing the good guys
<p>The title perhaps gives the question away, but would anyone know/be able to roughly approximate the angular distance/apparent separation between AE Aurigae and Orion's belt.</p>

<p>I have the value of $42^\circ$, from visual estimation but would like a way to calculate this.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-15T20:19:57.303Z
Suggest you show your working by telling what you have done to find this and the value you got.
James K
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-15T20:26:12.943Z
Purely by visual inspection and a little help from nova.astrometry.net
MichaelJRoberts
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-15T20:29:04.667Z
@JamesKilfiger Many thanks for the link to the angular distance calculator. Very useful. :)
MichaelJRoberts
<distances><positional-astronomy><astrometry>
Angular distance/apparent separation between AE Aurigae and Orion's belt
MichaelJRoberts
# Angular distance/apparent separation between AE Aurigae and Orion's belt

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-02-15)

The title perhaps gives the question away, but would anyone know/be able to roughly approximate the angular distance/apparent separation between AE Aurigae and Orion's belt.

I have the value of $42^\circ$, from visual estimation but would like a way to calculate this.

**Tags:** distances, positional-astronomy, astrometry

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Suggest you show your working by telling what you have done to find this and the value you got.  
> **username_0**: Purely by visual inspection and a little help from nova.astrometry.net  
> **username_0**: @JamesKilfiger Many thanks for the link to the angular distance calculator. Very useful. :)  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-02-15. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Given the cords of AE aurigae:

**RA 05h 16m 18.1s DEC +34° 18' 49"**

And Alnitak in Orion's belt:

**RA 05h 40m 45.52666s DEC −01° 56′ 34.2649″**

I get an angular separation of 34.83°

By this formula:

$\cos(A) = \sin(\mathrm{DEC}\_1)\cdot \sin(\mathrm{DEC}\_2) + \cos(\mathrm{DEC}\_1)\cdot \cos(\mathrm{DEC}\_2)\cdot \cos(\mathrm{RA}\_1 - \mathrm{RA}\_2)$

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Useful link: http://www.gyes.eu/calculator/calculator_page1.htm  
> **username_0**: I was a little off at 42 degrees. That was by visual inspection.  
> **username_0**: I was going from M42 as well.  
> **username_2**: @username_0 It helps to know the destination :)  

---

