Next, suppose that you are somewhere on the earth's equator. Since the equator is everywhere 90°, or one quarter of a circle, from each pole, it is evident that looking at the sky from the equator you would see the two poles (if there was anything to mark their places) lying on the horizon one exactly in the north and the other exactly in the south. The celestial equator would correspond with the prime vertical, passing east and west directly over your head, and all the stars would rise and set perpendicularly to the horizon, each describing a semicircle in the sky in the course of twelve hours. During the other twelve hours, the same stars would be below the horizon. Stars situated near either of the poles would describe little semi-circles near the north or the south point; those farther away would describe larger semi-circles; those close to the celestial equator would describe semi-circles passing overhead. But all, no matter where situated, would describe their visible courses in the same period of time. This equatorial presentation of the celestial sphere is called the right sphere, because the stars rise and set at a right angle to the plane of the horizon. Comparing it with the system of circles on which right ascension and declination are based, we see that, as the prime vertical corresponds with the celestial equator, so the horizon must represent an hour circle. The meridian also represents an hour circle. It may require a little thought to make this clear, but it will be a good exercise. Finally, if you are somewhere between the equator and one of the poles, which is the actual situation of the vast majority of mankind, you see either the north or the south pole of the heavens elevated to an altitude corresponding with your latitude, and the stars apparently revolving round it in circles inclined to the horizon at an angle depending upon the latitude. The nearer you are to the equator, the steeper this angle will be. This ordinary presentation of the celestial sphere is called the oblique sphere. Its horizon does not correspond with either the equator or the prime vertical, and its zenith and nadir lie at points situated between the celestial poles and the celestial equator.