Meridians Imaginary lines that run north and south on a map from pole to pole. Meridians express degrees of longitude , or how far a place is away from the prime meridian. The prime meridian runs through Greenwich, England. Longitude is used together with latitude to form a grid on which it is possible to locate any place on the earth. Parallels Imaginary lines that run east and west on a map.
Parallels represent degrees of latitude , or how far a place is away from the equator.
One degree of latitude equals about 69 miles. The Tropic of Cancer A parallel line of latitude that is a quarter of the way from the equator to the North Pole. During the summer solstice, the sun is directly overhead. This line of latitude is a quarter of the way from the equator to the South Pole. During the winter solstice, the sun is directly overhead.