In article ,
"Phillip Helbig (undress to reply)" writes:
Why was the north galactic pole defined in this way? Because it
is in the northern hemisphere
While I can't cite definitive evidence, I'm sure that was the reason.
There is a specific IAU resolution defining the north pole of any
solar system body as the pole pointing north of the invariable plane
of the solar system. That's a poor definition in my opinion, but it
got a majority vote.
... so that the rotation is prograde.
The traditional astronomical word is "direct." "Prograde" is a
neologism that no true astronomer would use.
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