Tropic of cancer
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Tropic of Cancer
The Tropic of Cancer (pronunciation: /ˈtrɒpɪk əv ˈkænsər/), also referred to as the Northern Tropic, is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. It is the most northerly circle of latitude on the Earth at which the Sun can be directly overhead. This event occurs once per year, at the time of the June solstice, when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun to its maximum extent.
Etymology
The term "Tropic of Cancer" is derived from the Latin Tropicus Cancri, which means "the tropic of the crab". This name was given because, when the Sun is at its zenith at this latitude, it is located in the constellation Cancer (the crab).
Related Terms
- Solstice: An event occurring when the Sun appears to reach its most northerly or southerly excursion relative to the celestial equator on the celestial sphere.
- Latitude: A geographic coordinate that specifies the north–south position of a point on the Earth's surface.
- Tropic of Capricorn: The circle of latitude that contains the subsolar point on the December (or southern) solstice.
- Celestial sphere: An abstract sphere, with an arbitrarily large radius, that is concentric to Earth.
- Zenith: The point in the sky or celestial sphere directly above an observer.
See Also
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