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SLA_DPAV - Position-Angle Between Two Directions

ACTION:
Returns the bearing (position angle) of one celestial direction with respect to another (double precision).
CALL:
D = sla_DPAV (V1, V2)
GIVEN:

V1 D(3) vector to one point
V2 D(3) vector to the other point
RETURNED:

sla_DPAV D position-angle of 2nd point with respect to 1st
NOTES:
  1. The coordinate frames correspond to $[ \alpha,\delta ]$, $[\lambda,\phi]$ etc..
  2. The result is the bearing (position angle), in radians, of point V2 as seen from point V1. It is in the range $\pm\pi$. The sense is such that if V2 is a small distance due east of V1 the result is about $+\pi/2$. Zero is returned if the two points are coincident.
  3. There is no requirement for either vector to be of unit length.
  4. The routine sla_DBEAR performs an equivalent function except that the points are specified in the form of spherical coordinates.


next up previous 269
Next: SLA_DR2AF - Radians to Deg,Min,Sec,Frac
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SLALIB --- Positional Astronomy Library
Starlink User Note 67
P. T. Wallace
19 December 2005
E-mail:ussc@star.rl.ac.uk

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