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In astronomy, the celestial equator is the great circle in which the plane of the terrestrial Equator intersects the celestial sphere; it consequently is equidistant from the celestial poles. When the Sun lies in its plane, day and night are everywhere of equal length, a twice-per-year occurrence known as equinox.
...rotation of the starry sphere. Thus, the stars seem to rotate about a northern or southern celestial pole, the projection into space of Earth’s own poles. Equidistant from the two poles is the celestial equator; this great circle is the projection into space of Earth’s Equator.
position on celestial sphere
precession of the equinoxes
Also moving with this wobble is the projection onto the sky of Earth’s Equator. This projection, a great circle, is called the celestial equator. The celestial equator intersects another useful great circle, the ecliptic. As Earth orbits the Sun, the constantly changing direction from which the Sun is viewed causes it to trace out the ecliptic. The celestial equator is inclined at a 23.44°...
use in equatorial mounting
...axis of the telescope is constructed parallel to Earth’s axis. The polar axis supports the declination axis of the instrument. Declination is measured on the celestial sky north or south from the celestial equator. The declination axis makes it possible for the telescope to be pointed at various declination angles as the instrument is rotated about the polar axis with respect to right...