Tropic of Capricorn
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Tropic of Capricorn is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. It is also named the Southern tropic. It is the parallel of latitude at 23° 26′ 22″ south of the Equator. It is the farthest southern latitude that the sun can be seen directly above you. This is being in the Zenith. The sun is only in the Zenith for one day in the Tropic of Capricorn. This day is the December solstice.
Latitudes to the south of the Tropic of Capricorn are in the Southern Temperate Zone. North of this line are the Tropics.
In the northern hemisphere the equivalent is the Tropic of Cancer.
[edit] Geography
The Tropic of Capricorn goes through several countries.
From the prime meridian and going west the countries are:
- Brazil
- Paraguay
- Argentina
- Chile
- French Polynesia (France) - the Tropic of Capricorn is south of Tubuai
- Tonga - the Tropic of Capricorn is just north of the Minerva Reefs
- Australia
- Madagascar
- Mozambique
- South Africa
- Botswana
- Namibia
[edit] History
The Tropic of Capricorn is named because about 2000 years ago the sun was entering the constellation Capricornus on the December solstice. Now the sun appears in the constellation Sagittarius during the December solstice. The change is due to precession of the equinoxes.
