[KarlInOhio]

A question for those who know. I sometimes read articles on space referencing "north" and "south". Does astronomy use the axis of the Earth as a reference?

Yes. The locations in the sky are given by declination which measures distance north or south of the equator (analogous to latitude) and right ascension which measures distance around the sky along the earth's equator (analogous to longitude). Because the earth's axis is precessing over time you also need a year to define the coordinates.

[SampleMan]

Thanks, I always wondered if they used the axis (which would be easiest, or the orbital plane.