How did the Tropic of Cancer get its name?

Answer 1

The tropics of Capricorn and cancer are the limits of the northern and southern extents of how far the sun appears to travel overhead from the summer and winter solstice and back again.

On June 21, the summer solstice, the sun is directly overhead if you are standing on the tropic of cancer.

On Dec. 21, the winter solstice, the sun is directly overhead if you are standing on the tropic of Capricorn.

On Mar. 21 and Sept 21, the equinoxes, the sun is directly overhead if you are standing on the equator.

Answer 2

The Tropic of Cancer gets its name because, at the time it was named, the sun was in the constellation of Cancer (the crab) during the summer solstice. This imaginary line marks the northernmost latitude where the sun appears directly overhead at some point during the year.

Answer 3

When it was first given this name, the sun was in the direction of the constellation Cancer. This latitude is the highest latitude where the sun can be observed directly overhead. Above this latitude it is never directly overhead. Since the time it was named to now, the sun is no longer in the direction of Cancer, it is now in the direction of Taurus. This is due to the precession of the earth's axis.

Answer 4

It is the northernmost latitude at which the sun appears directly overhead at the Summer Solstice. The invisible line is called tropic of cancer, because when it was named the sun was in the direction of the constellation Cancer (Latin for crab) at the June solstice. That is no longer the case, however, because of astronomical precession.

Answer 5

It gives the Earth warmth to grow plants and plants give us oxygen.The tropic of cancer is located at 23.5 degress north of the Equator (0 degrees).Its an imaginary line.