The tropic of Capricorn one of the five parallel principal is indicated on the terrestrial charts. It is about the parallel of 23° 26 ' 22" of Latitude southern, the southernmost latitude on which it is possible to see the Sun directly with the zenith, at the time of the Solstice of December.

Denomination

The tropic of Capricorn bears this name because, approximately 2.000 years ago, the Sun entering the constellation of the Capricorne at the time of the solstice of December.

Because of the Precession of the equinoxes, the Sun is located from now on in the constellation of the Sagittarius at the time of this solstice.

Crossed countries

The tropic of Capricorn cuts mainly oceans. The countries which it cross-piece are, on the basis of 0° of Longitude and while moving towards the East, the following:

• Namibia
• Botswana
• South Africa
• Mozambique
• Madagascar
• Australia (including the island Curtis, on the coast in the north of Gladstone)
• the tropic passes successively to the south of the New Caledonia and the Fiji, in the north of the Récifs Minerva, in the south of the Tonga and the islands Cook
• French Polynésie (the tropic does not touch any ground, but passes in the archipelago of the islands Australes and Gambier)
• It tropic passes to north islands Pitcairn, Easter Island, the island Sala there Gómez, the island San Felix and the island San Ambrosio
• Chile
• Argentine
• Brésil

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