right ascension, in astronomy, the east–west coordinate by which the position of a celestial body is ordinarily measured; more precisely, it is the angular distance of a body's hour circle east of the vernal equinox, measured along the celestial equator.

What is right ascension simple words?

Right ascension (abbreviated RA; symbol α) is the astronomical word for one of the two coordinates of a point on the celestial sphere when using the equatorial coordinate system. It is the celestial counterpart to longitude. ... The moon, planets and stars all have their own right ascension.

Is right ascension fixed?

Lines of both right ascension and declination stay fixed with respect to the stars. That's why they can be permanently printed on star maps.