Zenith On the International Space Station, "zenith" and "nadir" are used instead of "up" and "down", referring to directions within and around the station, relative to the earth. Zenith The zenith is an imaginary point directly "above" a particular location, on the imaginary celestial sphere. "Above" means in the vertical direction opposite to the apparent gravitational force at that location. The opposite direction, i.e. the direction in which gravity pulls, is toward the nadir. The zenith is the "highest" point on the celestial sphere. The word "zenith" derives from an inaccurate reading of the Arabic expression (), meaning "direction of the
To the Point carrier stations to play syndicated news headlines, typically provided by NPR. In the opening segment, Olney discusses a recent or breaking news development with a guest, typically a newspaper journalist. The journalist joins Warren by phone, and the segment lasts about 10 minutes. The following segment, which occupies most of the show, features a roundtable discussion of a topic of national or international interest, including issues of politics, policy, war, and science. Unlike most news programs, which tend to interview newsmakers, "To the Point" instead interviews "experts" – typically think tank members, professors in related fields, or observers from non-profit