<p>Apparently they are called differently in different places. Drop lines, legs or stems.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-09T04:07:57.130Z
2022-07-09T04:07:57.130Z
Basti
<p>See this screenshot from SpaceEngine:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/xCZdz.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/xCZdz.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>Many other examples from websites etc. Do they have a name? I couldn't find anything. If I'm not mistaken, those should be the z-coordinate of galactic coordinate system.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-06T20:16:36.213Z
Not a complete answer and there may not be consensus but Horizons calls them "Drop lines" in the orbit viewer; [XEphem](https://xephem.github.io/XEphem/Site/help/xephem.html#mozTocId885716) calls them "legs" (These are in the context of solar system objects with the lines above/below the ecliptic; not sure I'm seen it for stars above/below the galactic equator outside of video games before...)
astrosnapper
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-06T20:28:33.183Z
I belive they're called stems, based on various google searches pointed me at [3d Stem Plots](https://www.google.com/search?q=3d+stem+plot&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjn1-3vieX4AhVNAM0KHUT6A8kQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=3d+stem+plot&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzIECCMQJzIECAAQGDIECAAQGDoHCAAQsQMQQzoECAAQQzoICAAQgAQQsQM6BQgAEIAEOgYIABAeEAg6BAgAEB5QzQ5Y-StggTBoAXAAeACAAcsBiAHeDJIBBjAuMTIuMZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=KO3FYuejD82AtAbE9I_IDA&bih=920&biw=1841&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS907US907&hl=en)
notovny
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-06T20:53:52.557Z
*Interesting question!* What follows is speculation: yes assuming that what's shown are positions in galactic coordinates -- which could be expressed equivalently  in either cartesian, cylindrical or spherical forms -- what is illustrated here looks like the cylindrical coordinate form, and $\mathbf{\hat{z}}$ is most likely going to be defined the same way in cartesian and cylindrical coordinates. But the term for the *draw lines that simply serve to guide the eye* might be "lines of projection" connecting the 3D position with its projection on the $xy$ or $r \theta$ plane.
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-06T22:55:46.937Z
Assuming the plane is the ecliptic, it's the z coordinate of the ecliptice coordinate system rather than the galactic system.
Greg Miller
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-07T05:15:21.297Z
Is it the ecliptic? Or the galactic plane? There's quite a difference! https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/28071/16685
PM 2Ring
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-07T06:10:53.543Z
Oh right, sorry about that. I'm specifically interested in galactic coordinates. Although this particular question has probably been answered. Everyone calls those lines differently :D
Basti
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-09T15:08:29.883Z
This chart library just calls them "bars". http://www.sthda.com/english/wiki/scatterplot3d-3d-graphics-r-software-and-data-visualization
Greg Miller
<coordinate>
How are the lines from objects onto the ecliptic called?
Basti
# How are the lines from objects onto the ecliptic called?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-07-06)

See this screenshot from SpaceEngine:

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/xCZdz.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/xCZdz.jpg)

Many other examples from websites etc. Do they have a name? I couldn't find anything. If I'm not mistaken, those should be the z-coordinate of galactic coordinate system.

**Tags:** coordinate
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Not a complete answer and there may not be consensus but Horizons calls them "Drop lines" in the orbit viewer; [XEphem](https://xephem.github.io/XEphem/Site/help/xephem.html#mozTocId885716) calls them "legs" (These are in the context of solar system objects with the lines above/below the ecliptic; not sure I'm seen it for stars above/below the galactic equator outside of video games before...)  
> **username_2**: I belive they're called stems, based on various google searches pointed me at [3d Stem Plots](https://www.google.com/search?q=3d+stem+plot&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjn1-3vieX4AhVNAM0KHUT6A8kQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=3d+stem+plot&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzIECCMQJzIECAAQGDIECAAQGDoHCAAQsQMQQzoECAAQQzoICAAQgAQQsQM6BQgAEIAEOgYIABAeEAg6BAgAEB5QzQ5Y-StggTBoAXAAeACAAcsBiAHeDJIBBjAuMTIuMZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=KO3FYuejD82AtAbE9I_IDA&bih=920&biw=1841&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS907US907&hl=en)  
> **username_3**: *Interesting question!* What follows is speculation: yes assuming that what's shown are positions in galactic coordinates -- which could be expressed equivalently  in either cartesian, cylindrical or spherical forms -- what is illustrated here looks like the cylindrical coordinate form, and $\mathbf{\hat{z}}$ is most likely going to be defined the same way in cartesian and cylindrical coordinates. But the term for the *draw lines that simply serve to guide the eye* might be "lines of projection" connecting the 3D position with its projection on the $xy$ or $r \theta$ plane.  
> **username_4**: Assuming the plane is the ecliptic, it's the z coordinate of the ecliptice coordinate system rather than the galactic system.  
> **username_5**: Is it the ecliptic? Or the galactic plane? There's quite a difference! https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/28071/16685  
> **username_0**: Oh right, sorry about that. I'm specifically interested in galactic coordinates. Although this particular question has probably been answered. Everyone calls those lines differently :D  
> **username_4**: This chart library just calls them "bars". http://www.sthda.com/english/wiki/scatterplot3d-3d-graphics-r-software-and-data-visualization  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2022-07-09. Score: 0 | Accepted answer

Apparently they are called differently in different places. Drop lines, legs or stems.


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