# Angular distance/apparent separation between AE Aurigae and Orion's belt

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.

• Suggest you show your working by telling what you have done to find this and the value you got. Feb 15, 2016 at 20:19
• Purely by visual inspection and a little help from nova.astrometry.net Feb 15, 2016 at 20:26
• @JamesKilfiger Many thanks for the link to the angular distance calculator. Very useful. :) Feb 15, 2016 at 20:29

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:

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

• Useful link: gyes.eu/calculator/calculator_page1.htm Feb 15, 2016 at 20:24
• I was a little off at 42 degrees. That was by visual inspection. Feb 15, 2016 at 20:25
• I was going from M42 as well. Feb 15, 2016 at 20:27
• @MichaelJRoberts It helps to know the destination :) Feb 15, 2016 at 20:28