If the sun is overhead on the winter solstice where are you? Summer solstice?

Answer 1

The sun can never be overhead on the winter solstice (or it wouldn't be winter for you).

If it's overhead on the summer solstice, then you are on the tropic line. If your summer solstice is in June, that would be Cancer. If your summer solstice is in December, that would be Capricorn.

Answer 2

It is impossible to have the sun overhead on the winter solstice. The sun has gone north for the winter. While you are in winter the sun is basking itself in the summer sun on the other side of the world.

At Summer solstice at midday the sun will be overhead if you stand on the tropic of Capricorn, or for northern hemisphere residents, the tropic of Cancer about 6 months later.

Answer 3

If it's overhead in the Winter Solstice, then you're somewhere on the Tropic of Capricorn. If it's overhead in the Summer Solstice, you're on the Tropic of Cancer.

Doug

Answer 4

You are on the tropic of Capricorn. The real trick is the find your longitude.
For the "winter" solstice (better called the "southern" solstice) , it will occur on Dec 22, 2007, at 06:08 UT. Which means the sun will be overhead at 91.7292 degrees West. That is in the south-east Pacific Ocean, about 2170 km west of South America (Lapuesto de sol, Chile), and 1790 km east of Easter Island.

Answer 5

If the sun is directly overhead on the winter solstice, you're at 23.5 degrees south latitude (Tropic of Capricorn).

If the sun is directly overhead on the summer solstice, you're at 23.5 degrees south latitude (Tropic of Cancer).

This is because the Earth is tilted 23.5 degrees on its axis. This means that when the Earth is at its closest point (perihelion), which occurs on December 21, the Tropic of Capricorn is facing directly towards the sun. On that day, the Antarctic Circle receives 24 hours of sunlight, while the Arctic Circle receives 24 hours of darkness. At its farthest point (apehelion), which occurs on June 21, the Tropic of Cancer faces directly towards the sun. On that day, the Arctic Circle is in constant daylight and the Antarctic Circle is in constant darkness.

Answer 6

Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer