The Tropic of Cancer (cancer (?) is Latin for crab), or Northern
tropic, is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps
of the Earth. It is the northernmost latitude at which the Sun can
appear directly overhead at noon. This event occurs at the June
solstice, when the northern hemisphere is tilted towards the sun to
its maximum extent.
The Tropic of Cancer currently lies 23° 26' 22? north of the
Equator. North of this latitude are the subtropics and Northern
Temperate Zone. The equivalent line of latitude south of the
equator is called the Tropic of Capricorn, and the region between
the two, centered on the Equator, is known as the Tropics.
The line is called Tropic of Cancer because when it was named
the sun was in the location of the constellation of Cancer (Latin
for crab) in the sky at the June solstice. However, due to the
precession of the equinoxes, the sun is now in the location of the
constellation of Taurus at the June solstice. The word "tropic"
itself comes from the Greek tropos, meaning turn, referring to the
fact that the sun appears to "turn back" at the solstices.
The position of the Tropic of Cancer is not fixed, but varies in
a complex manner over time; see under circles of latitude for
information.
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Tropic of Cancer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropic_of_Cancer
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