Celestine API Documentation - v0.2.0
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    Interface PlanetPosition

    Position of a celestial body at a given moment.

    All positions are geocentric (as seen from Earth's center) in the tropical zodiac system (ecliptic coordinates).

    const sunPosition: PlanetPosition = {
      longitude: 280.458,      // ~10° Capricorn
      latitude: 0.0001,        // Sun is always near ecliptic
      distance: 0.9833,        // ~0.98 AU in January
      longitudeSpeed: 1.0194,  // ~1°/day
      isRetrograde: false,     // Sun never retrogrades
    };
    interface PlanetPosition {
        longitude: number;
        latitude: number;
        distance: number;
        longitudeSpeed: number;
        isRetrograde: boolean;
    }
    Index

    Properties

    longitude latitude distance longitudeSpeed isRetrograde

    Properties

    longitude: number

    Ecliptic longitude in degrees (0-360).

    This is the primary output - the position along the zodiac. 0° = Vernal Equinox (0° Aries in tropical zodiac) Measured along the ecliptic plane.

    latitude: number

    Ecliptic latitude in degrees (-90 to +90).

    Angular distance north (+) or south (-) of the ecliptic plane. For Sun: always ~0° (by definition, Sun defines the ecliptic) For Moon: ranges from -5.3° to +5.3° For planets: typically within ±3° of ecliptic

    distance: number

    Distance from Earth in Astronomical Units (AU).

    1 AU = 149,597,870.700 km (IAU 2012 definition) Sun distance: ~0.983 AU (perihelion) to ~1.017 AU (aphelion) Moon distance: ~0.0024 AU (~356,500 km) to ~0.0027 AU (~406,700 km)

    longitudeSpeed: number

    Rate of change of longitude in degrees per day.

    Positive = direct motion (normal, eastward through zodiac) Negative = retrograde motion (apparent backward motion) Zero = stationary (at station point)

    Typical values:

    • Sun: ~0.95° to ~1.02°/day (varies with Earth's orbital speed)
    • Moon: ~11.5° to ~14.5°/day
    • Mercury: -1.4° to +2.2°/day
    • Mars: -0.4° to +0.8°/day
    • Jupiter: -0.13° to +0.23°/day
    isRetrograde: boolean

    True if the body is in apparent retrograde motion.

    Convenience flag: equivalent to longitudeSpeed < 0

    Sun and Moon never retrograde. Mercury retrogrades ~3 times per year for ~3 weeks each. Outer planets retrograde once per year for several months.

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