An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
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The angular distance of an object from a celestial pole. It is equal to 90° minus the object's declination.

→ polar; → distance.

A distance between two nearby events in the frame in which they occur at the same time. It is the distance measured by a ruler at the time of observation. Hence, for a cosmological time t, D_proper = D_C . a(t), where D_C is the → comoving distance, and a(t) is the → scale factor. In the present epoch a = a(t_obs) = 1, and D_proper = D_C.

→ proper; → distance.

The distance derived from the → proper motion of an object. If an object has a known → transverse velocity  u, and has an observed angular motion of dθ/dt, then the proper motion distance is defined as: d = u/(dθ/dt).

→ proper; → motion; → distance

The correlation, first established by E. Hubble, between the cosmological recession velocities of galaxies and their distances.

→ redshift; → distance; → relation.

A distance-like quantity derived from → gravitational lensing time delay. It is given by a combination of three angular diameter distances in a strong lens system: D_Δt = (1 + z_L)[D_A(EL)D_A(ES) / D_A(LS)], where z_L is the → redshift of the → gravitational lens, while D_A(EL), D_A(ES), and D_A(LS) are the angular diameter distances from the Earth to the lens, from the Earth to the source, and from the lens to the source, respectively. As each of the distance is proportional to the inverse of H₀, D_Δt is proportional to 1/H₀.

→ time; → delay; → distance.

The linear relation wherein all galaxies are moving away from one another, with velocities that are greater with increasing distance of the galaxy. Same as → Hubble's law.

→ velocity; → distance; → relation.

The angular distance of a celestial body from the zenith. The zenith distance is 90° minus the body's altitude above the horizon (i.e. the complement of the altitude) and hence is also known as coaltitude.

→ zenith; → distance