Azimuth.

Azimuth. The azimuth of a heavenly body is the angle measured along the horizon between the north or south point, and the point where a circle, passing through the zenith and the body, cuts the horizon. It is usual to measure the azimuth westward from the point most remote from the elevated pole, beginning at 0°, and returning to it at 360°. Thus, in northern latitudes, where the north pole is elevated, the azimuth is measured from the south point, so that the east point, for instance, has an azimuth of 270° (see ARMILLARY SPHERE). The azimuth circles are those which extend from zenith to nadir, cutting the horizon at right angles, or those in which all the points have the same azimuth. The word is from the Arabic.