diff --git a/changelog/298.bugfix.rst b/changelog/298.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9ae49ba4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/298.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Update varying celestial transform schema ref to use a uri instead of a tag.
diff --git a/dkist/io/asdf/resources/schemas/varying_celestial_transform-1.0.0.yaml b/dkist/io/asdf/resources/schemas/varying_celestial_transform-1.0.0.yaml
index 443f8b1e4..e2e31ea42 100644
--- a/dkist/io/asdf/resources/schemas/varying_celestial_transform-1.0.0.yaml
+++ b/dkist/io/asdf/resources/schemas/varying_celestial_transform-1.0.0.yaml
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ properties:
       - tag: "core/ndarray-1.0.0"
       - tag: "tag:stsci.edu:asdf/unit/quantity-1.1.0"
   projection:
-    $ref: "tag:stsci.edu:asdf/transform/transform-1.2.0"
+    $ref: "http://stsci.edu/schemas/asdf/transform/transform-1.2.0"
 
 required: [crpix, cdelt, lon_pole, crval_table, pc_table, projection]
 additionalProperties: true