The Equator, Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn By Matt Rosenberg Updated August 31, 2016. Three of the most significant imaginary lines running across the surface of the Earth are the equator, the Tropic of Cancer, and the Tropic of Capricorn. While the equator is the longest line of latitude on the Earth (the line where the Earth is widest in an east-west direction), the tropics are based on the sun's position in relation to the Earth at two points of the year. All three lines of latitude are significant in their relationship between the Earth and the sun. The Equator The equator is located at zero degrees latitude . The equator runs through Indonesia, Ecuador, northern Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , and Kenya, among other countries . It is 24,901.55 miles (40,075.16 kilometers) long. On the equator, the sun is directly overhead at noon on the two equinoxes - near March and September 21. The equator divides the planet into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

On the equator, the length of day and night are equal every day of the year - day is always twelve hours long and night is always twelve hours long. continue reading below our video Overview of the Four Seasons The Tropic of Cancer and The Tropic of Capricorn The Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn each lie at 23.5 degrees latitude. The Tropic of Cancer is located at 23.5° North of the equator and runs through Mexico, the Bahamas, Egypt, Saudi Arabia , India, and southern China. The Tropic of Capricorn lies at 23.5° South of the equator and runs through Australia, Chile, southern Brazil (Brazil is the only country that passes through both the equator and a tropic), and northern South Africa . The tropics are the two lines where the sun is directly overhead at noon on the two solstices - near June and December 21.

The sun is directly overhead at noon on the Tropic of Cancer on June 21 (the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of winter in the Southern Hemisphere) and the sun is directly overhead at noon on the Tropic of Capricorn on December 21 (the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of summer in the Southern Hemisphere). The reason for the location of the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.5° north and south respectively is due to the axial tilt of the Earth. The Earth is titled 23.5 degrees from the plane of the Earth's revolution around the sun each year. The area bounded by the Tropic of Cancer on the north and Tropic of Capricorn on the south is known as the "tropics." This area does not experience seasons because the sun is always high in the sky. Only higher latitudes, north of the Tropic of Cancer and south of the Tropic of Capricorn, experience significant seasonal variation in climate. Realize, however, that areas in the tropics can be cold.

The peak of Mauna Kea on the big island of Hawaii stands nearly 14,000 feet above sea level, and snow is not unusual. If you live north of the Tropic of Cancer or south of the Tropic of Capricorn, the sun will never be directly overhead. In the United States, for example, Hawaii is the only location in the country that is south of the Tropic of Cancer, and it is thus the only location in the United States where the sun will be directly overhead in the summer.. Prime Meridian While the equator divides the Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres , it is the Prime Meridian at zero degrees longitude and the line of longitude opposite the Prime Meridian (near the International Date Line ) at 180 degrees longitude that divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres . The Eastern Hemisphere consists of Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia while the Western Hemisphere includes North and South America . Some geographers place the boundaries between the hemispheres at 20° West and 160° East so as to not run through Europe and Africa.

Unlike the equator and the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, the Prime Meridian and all lines of longitude are completely imaginary lines and have no significance with regard to the Earth or to its relationship with the sun. Equator Map, Tropic of Cancer Map, Tropic of Capricorn Map, Prime Meridian Circles of Latitude & Longitude - The Equator, The Prime Meridian, The Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn Circles of Latitude & Longitude - The Equator, The Prime Meridian, The Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn On the map shown, and for that matter on all other maps, the Arctic Circle, Antarctic Circle, Equator, Prime Meridian, Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn are imaginary lines. Latitudes and Longitudes are angular measurements that give a location on the earth’s surface a unique geographical identification. Latitudes are the progressive angular measurements north or south of the equator are the imaginary lines running from east to west on the Earth’s surface. While Longitudes are the measurements east or west of the Prime Meridian and run from the north pole to the south pole. Latitudes are parallel while Longitudes are convergent.

This positioning method comprises of a coordinate system in degrees (°) with the Equator and Prime Meridian being the lines that denote 0°. With the Equator as the reference point, the North Pole lies at 90°N and the South Pole lies at 90°S. Likewise, the furthest point eastwards from the Prime Meridian is expressed as 180°E and the furthest point westward is expressed as 180°W. Circles of Latitude are imaginary east to west circles that connect all places with the same latitude. The reference plane for all Circles of Latitude is the Equatorial Circle of Latitude that bisects the Earth. All Circles of Latitude are parallel to the Equator and perpendicular to all Longitudes at the intersection points. Parallels get smaller towards the poles than closer to the Equatorial Plane. Unlike latitudes that have the Equator as the central Latitude, the Prime Meridian has been set as the reference point of meridians over the course of history. Circles of Latitude are called parallels while half of a longitudinal circle is called a Meridian. Meridians are important for setting time zones.

There are five main parallels that are useful to explain the correlation between the Earth, the Sun, and climate. As such, these five main parallels also mark the five geographical zones. These are: • Arctic Circle : Is the boundary of the North Frigid Zone to the north. • Tropic of Cancer : Encloses the North Temperate Zone with the Arctic Circle. • The Equator : Divides the earth in North and Southern Hemispheres . The are around the Equator is referred to as the Tropics and is limited northward by the Tropic of Cancer and southward by the Tropic of Capricorn. • Tropic of Capricorn : Encloses the South Temperate Zone with the Antarctic Circle. • Antarctic Circle : Is the boundary of the South Frigid Zone to the south. Arctic Circle The Arctic Circle parallel that is currently positioned at 66° 33’ 46” in the Northern Hemisphere ( or 66.5628°). The position of the Arctic Circle fluctuates by about 49 ft each year due to the Earth’s axial tilt that is determined by tidal forces resulting from the pull of the moon on the Earth’s waters.

The fluctuation of the Arctic Circle has been found to be at a rate of 2° every 40,000 years. The region north of the Arctic Circle called the North Frigid Zone is characterized by extremely cold temperatures and ice. During the winter, the region experiences 24 hours of darkness in a day and 24 hours of sunlight in a day during the summers. Antarctic Circle This parallel of latitude is currently at 66° 33′ 46″ south of the Equator (or -66.5628°). Like the Arctic, the position of the Antarctic Circles is not fixed, as their exact location depends on the Earth's axial tilt, which fluctuates within a margin of 2° over a 40,000 year period, mainly due to tidal forces resulting from the orbit of the Moon. The Tropics of Cancer Tropic of Cancer is a Circle of Latitude currently positioned at 23°26’14” north of the Equator (or 23.4372°). Another reference for the Tropic of Cancer is the Northern Tropic.

The Northern Tropic is the parallel at which the Summer (or Nothern or June) Solstice occurs when once a year the sun appears directly overhead the most northerly parallel. This event happens in the month of June. The Tropic of Capricorn Tropic of Capricorn is another Circle of Latitude currently positioned at 23°26’14” south of the Equator (or -23.4372°). The Southern Tropic is another reference for the Tropic of Capricorn. The Tropic of Capricorn is the parallel at which the Winter (or Southern or December) Solstice occurs when once a year the sun appears directly overhead the most southerly parallel. This event happens in the month of December. These two parallels enclose the area of the Earth known as The Tropics characterized by warm to hot weather and lush vegetation. Similar to the Arctic Circle, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn also fluctuate depending on the Earth’s axial tilt. The Equator The Equator is the parallel line located at 0°00’00”.

It is identified as the latitude that falls at the point that is equidistant from the North Pole and the South Pole. The Equator’s covers a distance on the Earth’s surface approximately 24,901 miles long. The sun is perpendicular to the Equator twice a year in March and September. This event is called the Equinox. Areas on the Earth’s surface that fall on the Equator’s path are characterized by almost constant lengths of day and night. Likewise, the Equator fluctuates and is identified as the plane that is perpendicular to the Earth’s rotational axis. Prime Meridian The Prime Meridian is the meridian defined as 0°00’00” longitude. It is the longitudinal meridian of reference. Unlike the Equator’s position that is determined by the Earth’s rotational axis, the position of the Prime Meridian has been defined arbitrarily over the years as Greenwich in the United Kingdom. The Prime Meridian divides the earth into two hemispheres , the Western Hemisphere to the west and the Eastern Hemisphere to the east. What is the significance of the Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, Arctic Circle and Antarctic Circle? (Beginner) - Curious About Astronomy?

Ask an Astronomer The Earth What is the significance of the Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, Arctic Circle and Antarctic Circle? (Beginner) The Tropic of Cancer is the circle marking the latitude 23.5 degrees north, where the sun is directly overhead at noon on June 21, the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere. The Tropic of Capricorn is the circle marking the latitude 23.5 degrees south where the sun is directly overhead at noon on December 21, the beginning of winter in the northern hemisphere. When the lines were named 2000 years ago, the Sun was in the constellation of Capricorn during the winter solstice and Cancer during the summer solstice (hence the names). Now due to the precession of the equinoxes the Sun is no longer in these constellations during these times, but the names remain. The equator is the circle where the Sun is directly overhead at noon on the equinoxes. The Arctic and Antarctic Circles are located at ±66.5 degrees latitude. Note that 66.5 + 23.5 equals 90 degrees.

This means that on December 21, when the Sun is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn at noon, it will not be visible from the Arctic Circle. So above the Arctic Circle, there is a period during the winter when the sun remains below the horizon. The same is true of the Antarctic Circle during Southern Hemisphere winter. On June 21st, when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer at noon, it is not visible from below the Antarctic Circle.

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The Equator, Hemispheres, Tropic of Cancer, and Tropic of Capricorn Dateline: 04/16/99 Three of the most significant imaginary lines running across the surface of the earth are the equator, the Tropic of Cancer, and the Tropic of Capricorn.

While the equator is the longest line of  HYPERLINK "" latitude on the earth (the line where the earth is widest in an east-west direction), the tropics are based on the sun's position in relation to the earth at two points of the year.  INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET  The equator is located at zero degrees latitude. The equator runs through Indonesia, Ecuador, northern Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Kenya, among other countries. It is 24,901.55 miles (40,075.16 kilometers) long. On the equator, the sun is directly overhead at noon on the two equinoxes - near March and September 21. The equator divides the planet into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn each lie at 23.5 degrees latitude. The Tropic of Cancer is located at 23.5� North of the equator and runs through Mexico, the Bahamas, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, India, and southern China.

The Tropic of Capricorn lies at 23.5� South of the equator and runs through Australia, Chile, southern Brazil (Brazil is the only country that passes through both the equator and a tropic), and northern South Africa. The tropics are the two lines where the sun is directly overhead at noon on the two  HYPERLINK "" solstices - near June and December 21. The sun is directly overhead at noon on the Tropic of Cancer on June 21 (the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of winter in the Southern Hemisphere) and the sun is directly overhead at noon on the Tropic of Capricorn on December 21 (the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of summer in the Southern Hemisphere). The area bounded by the Tropic of Cancer on the north and Tropic of Capricorn on the south is known as the "tropics." This area does not experience seasons because the sun is always high in the sky. Only higher latitudes, north of the Tropic of Cancer and south of the Tropic of Capricorn, experience significant seasonal variation in  HYPERLINK "" climate.

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����B'��ܯ/mEQ�Z�"�f����D-B/�,*����S]Ճ��R�6�:Y�#=���5T�� 9 �^r�� Tropic of Cancer - Overview and Geography By Amanda Briney Updated November 30, 2016.

The Tropic of Cancer is a line of latitude circling the Earth at approximately 23.5° north of the equator. It is the northernmost point on Earth where the sun's rays can appear directly overhead at local noon. It is also one of the five major degree measures or circles of latitude dividing the Earth (the others are the Tropic of Capricorn, the equator, the Arctic Circle and the Antarctic Circle). The Tropic of Cancer is significant to Earth's geography because, in addition to being the northernmost point where the sun's rays are directly overhead, it also marks the northern boundary of tropics , which is the region that extends from the equator north to the Tropic of Cancer and south to the Tropic of Capricorn. Some of the Earth's largest countries and/or cities are at or near the Tropic of Cancer. For example, the line passes through United States' state of Hawaii, portions of Central America, northern Africa, and the Sahara Desert and is near Kolkata , India.

continue reading below our video Overview of the Four Seasons It should also be noted that because of the greater amount of land in the Northern Hemisphere the Tropic of Cancer passes through more cities than the equivalent Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere . Naming of the Tropic of Cancer At the June or summer solstice (around June 21) when the Tropic of Cancer was named, the sun was pointed in the direction of the constellation Cancer, thus giving the new line of latitude the name the Tropic of Cancer. However, because this name was assigned over 2,000 years ago, the sun is no longer in the constellation Cancer. It is instead located in the constellation Taurus today. For most references though, it is easiest to understand the Tropic of Cancer with its latitudinal location of 23.5°N. Significance of the Tropic of Cancer In addition to being used to divide the Earth into different parts for navigation and marking the northern boundary of the tropics, the Tropic of Cancer is also significant to the Earth's amount of solar insolation and the creation of seasons . Solar insolation is the amount of incoming solar radiation on the Earth.

It varies over the Earth's surface based on the amount of direct sunlight hitting the equator and tropics and spreads north or south from there. Solar insolation is most at the subsolar point (the point on Earth that is directly beneath the Sun and where the rays hit at 90 degrees to the surface) which migrates annually between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn because of the Earth's axial tilt. When the subsolar point is at the Tropic of Cancer, it is during the June solstice and this is when the northern hemisphere receives the most solar insolation. During the June solstice, because the amount of solar insolation is greatest at the Tropic of Cancer, the areas north of the tropic in the northern hemisphere also receive the most solar energy which keeps it warmest and creates summer. In addition, this is also when the areas at latitudes higher than the Arctic Circle receive 24 hours of daylight and no darkness. By contrast, the Antarctic Circle receives 24 hours of darkness and lower latitudes have their winter season because of low solar insolation, less solar energy and lower temperatures. Click here to see a simple map showing the location of the Tropic of Cancer.

Reference NOAA/NASA SciJinks :: What's a solstice? Topics Answers Games Dispatches Multimedia People Educators Adventures What's a solstice? Astronomy has been important to people for thousands of years. The ancient construction known as Stonehenge in England may have been designed, among other purposes, to pay special honor to the solstices and equinoxes. These are the times and locations during Earth's journey around the Sun that we humans have long used to mark our seasons. Here is a guess at how Stonehenge might have looked about 2400 BC. At dawn on the Summer Solstice, the rays of the Sun would have shone straight through what is called the "slaughter stones" to exactly strike the "altar stone" in the center. But what is the solstice exactly? It has to do with some imaginary lines on our planet. These lines are important, because they help people navigate and measure time. The equator is an imaginary line drawn right around Earth’s middle, like a belt. It divides Earth into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere. Another imaginary line drawn straight through Earth connecting the North Pole to the South Pole is Earth’s axis of rotation.

This line is tilted 23.5° from Earth’s orbital path around the Sun. This tilt is the cause of Earth’s seasons. Earth's axis of rotation is tilted 23.5°. That makes the latitudes of +23.5° and −23.5° special. But how? Other useful, but imaginary, lines around Earth that are parallel to the Equator are called lines of latitude. They are numbered from 0° to 90°. The one at 0° is the equator itself. The higher the number, the farther north (if it’s a + number) or south (if it’s a − number). You may have noticed two special lines of latitude on a globe of the world: One in the Northern Hemisphere called the Tropic of Cancer at +23.5° latitude and one in the Southern Hemisphere called the Tropic of Capricorn at − 23.5° latitude. These are the latitudes where the Sun is directly overhead at noon once a year. In the Northern hemisphere, on the Tropic of Cancer, that is the Summer Solstice, usually June 21.

In the Southern Hemisphere, on the Tropic of Capricorn, that is the Winter Solstice, usually December 21. These solstice days are the days with the most (for Summer) or fewest (for Winter) hours of sunlight during the whole year. The Sun is directly overhead at "high-noon" on Summer Solstice at the latitude called the Tropic of Cancer. The Sun is directly overhead at "high-noon" on Winter Solstice at the latitude called the Tropic of Capricorn. The Sun is directly overhead at "high-noon" on the equator twice per year, at the two equinoxes. Spring (or Vernal) Equinox is usually March 20, and Fall (or Autumnal) equinox is usually September 22. Except at the equator, the equinoxes are the only dates with equal daylight and dark. At the equator, all days of the year have the same number of hours of light and dark. Between the two tropics zones, which includes the equator, the Sun is directly overhead twice per year. Outside the tropic zones, whether to the south or north, the Sun is never directly overhead.

Two other significant lines of latitude are the Arctic Circle (around the North Pole) and the Antarctic Circle (around the South Pole). These circles are as far from the poles as the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn are from the equator. On the Arctic Circle, the Sun does not set at all on the Summer Solstice. On that one day, the Sun traces a complete circle just above the horizon as the Earth rotates. On the Antarctic Circle, the Sun does not set at all on the Winter Solstice. As you go closer to the poles, you have more and more days when the Sun does not set (or rise), until, at the poles, the Sun remains above or below the horizon for six months at a time. A webcam at the North Pole captured this picture on June 21, 2010. A webcam at the South Pole captured this picture on June 18, 2010, at high noon. More than "imaginary" to GOES . . . The equator is a very important "imaginary line" for the GOES and GOES-R weather satellites.

They orbit exactly above the equator, at a very great distance (22,300 miles), which allows them to make just one orbit per day. They "hover" over one point on Earth's equator. That way, they have a full view of almost one-half of Earth and can keep a continual watch on developing weather. Find out more about satellite orbits . Tropic of Cancer? Tropic of Capricorn? Who came up with those names? These names were thought up about 2,000 years ago. At that time, the Sun was in the direction of the constellation Cancer at the Summer Solstice in June. However, this is no longer true. Earth’s axis wobbles a bit, slowly changing the direction in which it points. Over 26,000 years, the axis traces out a small cone shape. At this time, the Sun is in Taurus or Gemini (depending on where you draw the boundary between them) at the Summer Solstice. The word "tropic" itself comes from the Greek τροπή (tropi), meaning turn, referring to the fact that the sun appears to "turn back" at the solstices.

In this chart of the zodiac, the Sun is in the constellation Cancer. When the Tropic of Capricorn was named, the Sun was entering the constellation Capricorn at the Winter Solstice in December. In modern times the Sun appears in the constellation Sagittarius during this time. Hottest Day of Year Too? Summer solstice is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. That part of Earth receives more sunlight than on any other day of the year. Then shouldn’t that day be the hottest? Actually, the hottest days are usually in July and August. That’s because Earth's oceans and atmosphere absorb and re-radiate the Sun's energy over time. So even though the Northern Hemisphere is absorbing lots of sunlight on the Summer Solstice, it takes several weeks to release it. "A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." Steve Martin Quia - Daily Geography Week 13-15 Java Games: Flashcards, matching, concentration, and word search. Daily Geography Week 13-15 What is the only state that touches four of the five Great Lakes?

Michigan The largest island in the world, located near Canada, is called Greenland What is the capital of Rhode Island, the state with the smallest land area in the United States? Providence What is the name of the large sea off the western coast of Alaska? Bering Which gulf is off the southern coast of the United States? Gulf of Mexico To which continent does Israel belong? Asia What body of water borders Turkey, Greece, and Italy? Mediterranean Sea Which country has the warmest climate year round, Switzerland or Sudan? Why? Sudan; it is closer to the equator How many countries are in Central America? 8 Is Australia a continent or an island? Both Sacramento is the capital of which state? Californina What large mountain range is found north of India? Himalayas Through which hemispheres does the Tropic of Cancer pass? Northern, Eastern, Western Where is the nouth of the Nile River located? Near Cairo, Egypt, at the Mediterranean Sea If you traveled from the capital of Arizona to the capital of California, in what direction would you have gone? Northwest Does the Tropic of Cancer pass through any South American countries? No Name a strait in the southern part of South America.

Striat of Magellan Name two peninsulas found in Mexico. Baja (lower) California and Yucatan Name the island nation southeast of India. Sri Lanka Is the Tropic of Capricorn in the Northern Hemisphere or the Southern Hemisphere? Southern Hemisphere Which country, located to the southeast of Australia, is made up mainly of two islands? New Zealand What is the definition of hemisphere? One of the four half circles of the earth Name the countries in Africa through which the equator passes. Gabon, Congo (Zaire), Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Congo Republic What country in the western hemisphere does the Tropic of Cancer pass through? | Reference.com What country in the western hemisphere does the Tropic of Cancer pass through? A: Quick Answer Mexico and the Bahamas are the nations in the Western Hemisphere that the Tropic of Cancer passes through. It is located at 23.5 degrees north latitude. The Tropic of Cancer represents the imaginary line where the sun shines directly overhead at 12:00 p.m. on June 21. Full Answer June 21 is the summer solstice, or the first day of summer, in the Northern Hemisphere.

The counterpart of the Tropic of Cancer, the Tropic of Capricorn, is located at 23.5 degrees south latitude. It represents the imaginary line at which the sun shines directly overhead at noon on December 21, which is the first day of summer for the Southern Hemisphere. The area between the two Tropic lines is called the tropics. This area experiences little to no change between seasons.

Question: What is the Southern Hemisphere's equivalent to the Tropic of Cancer?
Answer: Tropic of Capricorn