Subsolar point - Wikipedia Subsolar point A basic diagram showing the location of the subsolar point on Earth 's surface. The angle between the sun and the local horizontal level is exactly 90 ° at the subsolar point. The subsolar point on a planet is the point at which its sun is perceived to be directly overhead ( at the zenith ) ; that is, where the sun 's rays strike the planet exactly perpendicular to its surface. It can also mean the point closest to the sun on an astronomical object, even though the sun might not be visible. To an observer on a planet with an orientation and rotation similar to those of Earth, the subsolar point will appear to move westward, completing one circuit around the globe each day, approximately moving along the equator. However, it will also move north and south between the tropics over the course of a year, so it is spiraling like a helix. The subsolar point contacts the Tropic of Cancer on the June solstice and the Tropic of Capricorn on the December solstice. The subsolar point crosses the Equator on the March and September equinoxes. When the point passes through Hawaii, the only U.S. state in which this happens, it is known as Lahaina Noon. References Jump up ^ Ian Ridpath, ed. ( 1997 ). `` subsolar point ''. A Dictionary of Astronomy. Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press. ISBN 0 - 19 - 211596 - 0. The point on the Earth, or other body, at which the Sun is directly overhead at a particular time. Jump up ^ Nancy Alima Ali ( May 11, 2010 ). `` Noon sun not directly overhead everywhere ''. Honolulu Star - Bulletin. Retrieved November 12, 2010. External links Day and Night World Map ( shows location of subsolar point for any user - specified time ) This astronomy - related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Subsolar_point&oldid=866415801 '' Categories : Spherical astronomy Earth Celestial coordinate system Astronomy stubs Talk About Wikipedia Alemannisch Català Deutsch Ελληνικά Español Français हिन्दी Hrvatski 日本 語 Polski Português Simple English Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски 中文 7 more Edit links This page was last edited on 30 October 2018, at 05 : 16 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: where is the subsolar point on december 21
Answer: Tropic of Capricorn