Tropic of Capricorn
Southernmost latitude where the Sun is directly overhead.
The Tropic of Capricorn is the circle of latitude that contains the subsolar point at the December solstice, making it the southernmost latitude where the Sun can be seen directly overhead. It is one of the five major circles of latitude marked on maps of Earth, currently located at 23°26′09.0″ south of the Equator, and is gradually moving northward at a rate of 0.47 arcseconds per year. This line of latitude was named when the Sun was in the zodiacal constellation Capricorn at the northern solstice, the date each year when the Sun reaches its zenith at this latitude. Due to the precession of the equinoxes, the Sun now appears in Sagittarius at this solstice. The Tropic of Capricorn divides the Southern Temperate Zone to the south from the Tropics to the north. Its position is not fixed; Earth’s axial tilt varies over a 41,000-year period from about 22.1 to 24.5 degrees, currently at about 23.4 degrees. This wobble causes the Tropic to drift northward by nearly half an arcsecond (0.468″) of latitude, or 15 metres, per year. It was at exactly 23°27′S in 1917 and will be at 23°26′S in 2045. The distance between the Arctic Circle and the Tropic of Capricorn remains essentially constant, moving in tandem. During the June solstice (Southern Hemisphere winter), there are approximately 10 hours and 41 minutes of daylight; during the December solstice (Southern Hemisphere summer), there are 13 hours and 35 minutes. The length of the Tropic at 23°26′11.7″S is 36,788 km (22,859 mi).
- latitude
- 23°26′09.0″ S
- movement
- 0.47 arcseconds northward per year
- daylight_June_solstice
- 10 hours 41 minutes
- daylight_December_solstice
- 13 hours 35 minutes
- northern_counterpart
- Tropic of Cancer
Lore & Background
The Tropic of Capricorn is the circle of latitude marking the southernmost point where the Sun can appear directly overhead, which occurs at the December solstice. Its current latitude is approximately 23°26′ south of the Equator, but this position is not fixed; due to a slight wobble in Earth’s axial tilt, the line drifts northward by about 0.47 arcseconds (roughly 15 meters) per year. This tilt varies over a 41,000-year cycle between roughly 22.1 and 24.5 degrees, currently sitting near 23.4 degrees. The Tropic serves as the boundary between the Southern Temperate Zone to the south and the Tropics to the north. Its length at the present latitude is about 36,788 kilometers. During the June solstice (Southern Hemisphere winter), daylight lasts approximately 10 hours and 41 minutes; during the December solstice (Southern Hemisphere summer), it lasts about 13 hours and 35 minutes. The line was named when the Sun was in the zodiacal constellation Capricorn at the northern solstice; today, due to precession of the equinoxes, the Sun appears in Sagittarius at that time. The Tropic of Capricorn is the southern counterpart of the Tropic of Cancer.
Reader's Guide
The Tropic of Capricorn serves as the dividing line between the Southern Temperate Zone to the south and the Tropics to the north. It passes through ten countries, including parts of Africa, Australia, and South America. In southern Africa, seasonal rainfall supports farming, and holistic management practices have been promoted to combat desertification. In Australia, areas around the Tropic experience highly variable rainfall, with the Great Dividing Range enabling cultivation through relief precipitation and dammed rivers. In South America, the presence of the Andes and the Humboldt Current creates the arid Atacama Desert, while eastern slopes and Brazilian regions near the Tropic are highly productive agricultural areas. Only four countries—Eswatini, Lesotho, New Zealand, and Uruguay—lie entirely south of this line.
Did You Know?
- The Tropic of Capricorn is gradually moving northward at a rate of 0.47 arcseconds, or 15 metres, per year.
- At solar midnight on the June solstice, the Sun is 90 degrees below the horizon in all directions at this latitude.
- The distance between the Arctic Circle and the Tropic of Capricorn is essentially constant, moving in tandem.
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