ALTITUDE (

See also:

• LAT

Lat. altitudo, from altus, high)  , height or eminence, and particularly the height above the ground or above sea-level . In geometry, the altitude of a triangle is the length of the perpendicular from the vertex to the base . In astronomy, the altitude of a heavenly body is the apparent angular elevation of the body above the plane of the horizon (see ASTRONOMY: Spherical) . Apparent altitude is the value which is directly observed; true altitude is deduced by correcting for astronomical refraction and dip of the horizon; geocentric altitude by correcting for parallax .