Ecliptic pole

The ecliptic poles are the points on the celestial sphere where it meets the imaginary line perpendicular to the ecliptic plane, in which the Earth travels on its orbit around the Sun.

There are two ecliptic poles:

The North Ecliptic Pole is in Draco

The South Ecliptic Pole is in Dorado

Due to precession, the celestial pole moves in a circle around the ecliptic poles once every 25,800 years.

The ecliptic poles are (as of epoch 1 January 2000) at:

• (North) right ascension 18^h 0^m 0.0^s (exact), declination +66° 33′ 38.55″
• (South) right ascension 6^h 0^m 0.0^s (exact), declination −66° 33′ 38.55″

when expressed in equatorial coordinates, as a consequence of the Earth's axial tilt.

It is not possible to have an ecliptic pole at the zenith in a dark sky. By definition, the ecliptic poles are located 90 degrees from the Sun's position. Therefore, whenever either ecliptic pole is directly overhead, the Sun must be on the horizon. The ecliptic poles can be at the zenith on the Arctic and Antarctic Circles.