- The Tropic of Cancer is a Parallel of Latitude at 23 degrees, 26 minutes and 16 seconds above the Equator.
- It is the most northerly Latitude above the Equator, where the Sun appears directly overhead at the Summer Solstice.
The Earth’s Tilt
- At the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, the Sun is directly overhead on the Solstices, June 21 and December 21, marking the beginning of Summer and Winter.
- The Tropics are Parallels of Latitude both situated at 23.5° latitude, because the Earth is tilted at an angle of 23.5°.
The Tropics
- The area between these two Parallels is known as the ‘Tropics’.
- The Tropics do not experience any significant Seasons, as the Sun is always so high in the sky and the temperatures remain the same throughout the year.
Tropic of Capricorn
- The Tropic of Capricorn lies at 23.5° south of the Equator.