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AstroGridLines

is an option for AstroGraphics that specifies the coordinate grid lines to show on the celestial sphere.

Details
Details and Options Details and Options
Examples  
Basic Examples  
Scope  
AstroGridLines Positions  
AstroGridLines Frames  
AstroGridLines Styling  
See Also
Related Guides
History
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AstroGridLines

AstroGridLines

is an option for AstroGraphics that specifies the coordinate grid lines to show on the celestial sphere.

Details

  • Different astro reference frames have different coordinate grid lines.
  • For equatorial frames, the astro grid lines are lines of constant declination (parallels) and lines of constant right ascension (meridians).
  • For horizon frames, the astro grid lines are lines of constant altitude (almucantars) and lines of constant azimuth.
  • The following settings can be given for AstroGridLines:
  • Noneno astro grid lines drawn
    Automaticastro grid lines placed automatically
    napproximate number of coordinate lines
    Quantity[…]astro grid lines placed at multiples of an angular quantity
    {grid1,grid2}astro grid lines specified separately for each angular direction
    {frame1spec1, frame2spec2,…}draw several sets of astro grid lines for respective frames
  • With the Automatic setting, astro grid lines are usually placed at points whose coordinates have the minimum number of digits in their decimal representation.
  • For each angular coordinate, the following grid line options can be given:
  • Noneno geo grid lines drawn
    Automaticgeo grid line positions chosen automatically
    napproximate number of coordinate lines
    Quantity[…]astro grid lines placed at multiples of an angular quantity
    {x1,x2,…}astro grid lines drawn at the specified positions
    {{x1,style1},…}astro grid lines with specified styles
    funcfunction to be applied to xmin, xmax to get astro grid line option

Examples

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Basic Examples  (4)

Draw astro grid lines above the local horizon at your geo location:

Wolfram Language code: AstroGraphics[AstroGridLines -> Automatic]

Draw astro grid lines of the ecliptic frame on an equatorial map of the whole sky:

Wolfram Language code: AstroGraphics[AstroReferenceFrame -> "Equatorial", AstroGridLines -> {"Ecliptic" -> Quantity[10, "AngularDegrees"]}]

Draw specific lines of galactic longitude and latitude around the galactic center:

Wolfram Language code: AstroGraphics[AstroReferenceFrame -> "Equatorial", AstroGridLines -> {"Galactic" -> {Range[-60, 60, 10], {-10, -5, 0, 5, 10}}}]

Add an arcminute grid centered at Jupiter:

Wolfram Language code: AstroGraphics[Entity["Planet", "Jupiter"], AstroRange -> Quantity[0.1, "AngularDegrees"], AstroGridLines -> Quantity[1, "Arcminutes"]]

Scope  (8)

AstroGridLines Positions  (4)

Place the astro grid lines automatically:

Wolfram Language code: AstroGraphics[Entity["Star", "Rigel"], AstroRange -> Quantity[20, "AngularDegrees"], AstroGridLines -> Automatic]

Draw astro grid lines at specific values of azimuth:

Wolfram Language code: AstroGraphics[Entity["Star", "Polaris"], AstroRange -> Quantity[30, "AngularDegrees"], AstroGridLines -> {Range[0, 90, 10], None}, AstroReferenceFrame -> "Equatorial"]

Draw astro grid lines at specific values of altitude:

Wolfram Language code: AstroGraphics[Entity["Star", "Polaris"], AstroRange -> Quantity[30, "AngularDegrees"], AstroGridLines -> {None, Range[60, 80, 2]}, AstroReferenceFrame -> "Equatorial"]

Specify approximate numbers of coordinate grid lines:

Wolfram Language code: AstroGraphics[AstroReferenceFrame -> {"Galactic", Now, Here}, AstroGridLines -> {24, 6}]

Draw astro grid lines as multiples of given angles:

Wolfram Language code: AstroGraphics[AstroReferenceFrame -> {"Ecliptic", Now, Here}, AstroGridLines -> Quantity[15, "AngularDegrees"]]

AstroGridLines Frames  (2)

Use ecliptic grid lines in an ecliptic map of the celestial sky:

Wolfram Language code: AstroGraphics[AstroReferenceFrame -> "Ecliptic", AstroGridLines -> Automatic]

Use equatorial grid lines in the same ecliptic map:

Wolfram Language code: AstroGraphics[AstroReferenceFrame -> "Ecliptic", AstroGridLines -> {"Equatorial" -> Automatic}]

Use two different sets of astro grid lines on a given map:

Wolfram Language code: AstroGraphics[AstroGridLines -> {"Equatorial" -> Quantity[10, "AngularDegrees"], "Ecliptic" -> Quantity[5, "AngularDegrees"]}]

AstroGridLines Styling  (2)

Astro grid lines are styled by default with the same color of the corresponding plane:

Wolfram Language code: AstroGraphics[AstroReferenceFrame -> {"Galactic", Now, Here}, AstroGridLines -> Automatic]

Specify the style of each astro grid line:

Wolfram Language code: AstroGraphics[AstroReferenceFrame -> {"Galactic", Now, Here}, AstroGridLines -> {None, {{20, Red}, {30, Orange}, {40, Yellow}, {50, Green}, {60, Blue}}}]

Specify the style of all astro grid lines using AstroGridLinesStyle:

Wolfram Language code: AstroGraphics[AstroReferenceFrame -> "Equatorial", AstroGridLines -> Automatic, AstroGridLinesStyle -> Purple]
Wolfram Language code: AstroGraphics[AstroReferenceFrame -> "Equatorial", AstroGridLines -> Automatic, AstroGridLinesStyle -> {Purple, Blue}]
Wolfram Research (2022), AstroGridLines, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/AstroGridLines.html.

Text

Wolfram Research (2022), AstroGridLines, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/AstroGridLines.html.

CMS

Wolfram Language. 2022. "AstroGridLines." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/AstroGridLines.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (2022). AstroGridLines. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/AstroGridLines.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_astrogridlines, author="Wolfram Research", title="{AstroGridLines}", year="2022", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/AstroGridLines.html}", note=[Accessed: 13-June-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_astrogridlines, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={AstroGridLines}, year={2022}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/AstroGridLines.html}, note=[Accessed: 13-June-2026]}