Tropic of Capricorn is an imaginary line that traces the southern boundary of the earth’s Tropical Zone. It marks the farthest limit south of the equator where the sun can appear directly overhead. The Tropic of Capricorn lies 23° 27′ south of the equator. The vertical rays of the sun shine on the Tropic of Capricorn at noon on the day of the winter solstice, which is December 21 or 22.
The Tropic of Capricorn crosses northern Chile and Argentina, Paraguay, and southern Brazil in South America. In Africa, it crosses Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, and Madagascar. The Tropic of Capricorn also passes through the middle of Australia. The Tropic of Capricorn separates the southern tropics from the South Temperate Belt. The word Capricorn comes from the Latin caper, meaning goat, and cornu, meaning horn. It refers to a group of stars representing the sign of the zodiac known as Capricorn. The Tropic of Capricorn used to lie directly below this constellation.
