steradian

Solid angle unit

A steradian is the unit of solid angle in three-dimensional space, analogous to how a radian measures angle in two dimensions.

One steradian equals the solid angle that, from the center of a sphere, subtends an area on the surface equal to the square of the radius.

A complete sphere encompasses 4π steradians.

The unit appears in physics and engineering when measuring light intensity, radiation, and other phenomena that spread outward from a point: The lamp emits 100 lumens per steradian.

solid-angle

cone

Tapered solid, circular base

  • apexUppermost point or culmination
  • vertexPoint where edges converge
  • subtendExtend opposite an angle

field of view · viewing angle · hemisphere · octant · quadrant · projection · conical

radiometry

lumen

Light output measure

candela · lux · illuminance · photometry · irradiance · isotropic · point source · inverse square law · emission · brightness

measurement

degree

Unit of measurement

unit conversion · arc

astronomy

celestial sphere

Imaginary dome of stars

observatory · starfield · constellation

Opposites
dimensionality of angular measurement

steradianradian

Arc-length angle unit

degree

Family

radiate, stereo, radiation, radius, stereos, radian, radians, stereoscope

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Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Rated G