cénit

Cénit, also spelled cenit or cénit in some languages, is the point in the sky that lies directly above an observer. It is the highest point on the celestial sphere relative to the observer and serves as a reference in astronomy and navigation.

In practice, the zenith is used to describe the position of celestial objects relative to an observer. The zenith distance, or zenith angle, is the angular distance between the zenith and an object, and is related to the object's altitude h above the horizon by z = 90° − h. The azimuth specifies the direction along the horizon. The zenith for a given observer depends on the observer’s latitude; at the equator, the zenith lies on the celestial equator. An object would pass through the zenith if its declinationδ equals the observer’s latitude φ, allowing it to reach the highest point in the sky during its transit.

The term cenit is also used beyond pure astronomy as a metaphor for the peak or culmination of a process or phenomenon. It appears as a proper name in various Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking contexts, including titles of magazines, cultural centers, or commercial entities, among others.

See also: Zenith, Nadir, Altitude, Celestial sphere.