Tropic of Cancer Tropic of Capricorn?

Question

What do these mean? I know one is above and one is below the equator but what do they signify? We will be heading for tropic of Capricorn as we head for Monkey Mia in W.A. so can I expect anything unusual maybe weather or something

Answer 1

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 parallel of latitude that lies currently 23° 26′ 22″ north of the Equator.

It is the farthest northern latitude at which the sun can appear directly overhead, which occurs on the June solstice. North of this line is the subtropics and Northern Temperate Zone. The Tropic of Capricorn is at the opposite latitude south of the Equator. South of the Tropic of Cancer and north of the Tropic of Capricorn are the Tropics.

It is difficult to specify an exact location for both tropic circles because the obliquity of the ecliptic varies between 21.5° and 24.5° with a 41,000 year periodicity. Currently the mean value of the obliquity diminishes with 0.5" per year, resulting in a southwards shift of the Tropic of Cancer over the Earth surface with 15 metres per year. Together with a likewise northwards shift of the Tropic of Capricorn, this means that the mean area of the tropics reduces worldwide by 1100 square kilometres per year. In addition the apparent or real value of the obliquity is subject to extra variations due to the nutation, of which the mainterm with a period of 18.6 year has an amplitude of 9"21 (corresponding to almost 300 m north and south). And then there are still many smaller terms, resulting in daily varying shifts of some meters in any direction.

The Tropic of Capricorn or Southern tropic is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. It is the parallel of latitude at 23° 26′ 22″ south of the Equator, and is the farthest southern latitude that the sun can appear directly overhead, occurring on the December solstice. Its northern hemisphere equivalent is the Tropic of Cancer. Latitudes south of the Tropic of Capricorn are in the Southern Temperate Zone. North of this line are the Tropics.

Answer 2

The tropics are two lines on the celestial sphere that corespond to a line of latitude on the Earth's globe either 23º 26′ north of the equator (tropic of Cancer ) or 23º 26′ south (tropic of Capricorn)


They mark the limits of the apparent north-and-south movement of the Sun.
By the way, you should have asked this in the Astronomy and Science section!

Answer 3

It is the farthest northern latitude at which the sun can appear directly overhead, which occurs on the June solstice. North of this line is the subtropics and Northern Temperate Zone. The Tropic of Capricorn is at the opposite latitude south of the Equator. South of the Tropic of Cancer and north of the Tropic of Capricorn are the Tropics.

Answer 4

oh, i once had that question before in my head. Well... have you ever tried thinking about the zodiac signs? Maybe those involved with the Temperature of each Tropics (that's what i tried, and it works). I think that they put the names cancer and capricorn in there is because they are 2 totally opposite signs, famous for the father(capricorn) and the mother(cancer, that's me), i guess that's it. bt those are just my craZy predictions

Answer 5

They're both good books by Henry Miller.

Answer 6

mm