<p>The transit of a star when it reaches its highest point is called the upper culmination and when it reaches its lowest point is called the lower culmination. I think both are referred to as meridian transits.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-11-02T21:47:44.117Z
Which would mean that both events are *transits* and are distinguished between each other by the more precise terms, upper and lower culmination. Is that correct? When the lower culmination happens below the horizon, would that still be called the lower culmination. (If applied to the Sun, this time denotes the time of local midnight I guess.)
Dieudonné
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-13T01:42:45.147Z
Yes, Dieudonné, that is correct, and yes, the term “lower culmination” also applies when it’s below the horizon.
Pierre Paquette
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-11-02T21:28:38.097Z
2020-11-02T21:28:38.097Z
ProfRob
<p>I'm writing software to calculate the rising, transit, and setting of a body on the celestial sphere for a specific location and date. It seems to me that the opposite of transit, at least in the case of the Sun and for circumpolar stars, would also be of importance.</p>
<p>In the northern hemisphere this would be the time when a circumpolar star would pass through the line between the celestial north pole and true north, and be at its lowest height above the horizon.</p>
<p>Is there an antonym (opposite) for the word <strong>transit</strong>?</p>

<terminology><celestial-mechanics>
Is there an antonym for 'transit', i.e. the transit of a celestial body through the meridian
Dieudonné
# Is there an antonym for 'transit', i.e. the transit of a celestial body through the meridian

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-11-02)

I'm writing software to calculate the rising, transit, and setting of a body on the celestial sphere for a specific location and date. It seems to me that the opposite of transit, at least in the case of the Sun and for circumpolar stars, would also be of importance.

In the northern hemisphere this would be the time when a circumpolar star would pass through the line between the celestial north pole and true north, and be at its lowest height above the horizon.

Is there an antonym (opposite) for the word **transit**?

**Tags:** terminology, celestial-mechanics


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-11-02. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

The transit of a star when it reaches its highest point is called the upper culmination and when it reaches its lowest point is called the lower culmination. I think both are referred to as meridian transits.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Which would mean that both events are *transits* and are distinguished between each other by the more precise terms, upper and lower culmination. Is that correct? When the lower culmination happens below the horizon, would that still be called the lower culmination. (If applied to the Sun, this time denotes the time of local midnight I guess.)  
> **username_2**: Yes, username_0, that is correct, and yes, the term “lower culmination” also applies when it’s below the horizon.  

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