Today the Prinsendam will cross the equator, which is an imaginary reference line that encircles the earth and divides our planet into Northern and Southern hemispheres. It is the widest of the latitude lines that ring the earth. Latitude lines are one of two measurements needed to locate points precisely on the earth’s surface. Running north-south, longitude lines have their zero-point running through the Royal Greenwich Observatory in England. This “longitudinal equator” is called the prime meridian. As the center point of the earth, the equator is also the center of the tropics. The tropics is the area lying between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, at 23°27" north and south of the equator. The climate in the tropics varies; some areas have heavy rainfall, and others are very hot and dry. The sun’s heat near the equator easily evaporates water from the oceans, so the hot tropical air is also moist. This is why there are rain forests at the equator. Also, at the equator, the sun’s rays are unaffected by the tilt of the earth, so the area is always exposed to the sun and receives direct solar rays year-round, regardless of season. We think of it as being very hot at the equator. The heat is most intense at sea level, but as you move into the mountains, it can also get very cold. In fact, you might find snow at the equator! This shows how dramatically altitude affects weather at the equator. The equator also marks a turning point for the seasons, which are reversed in the northern and southern hemispheres.
posted by Hills @ 2:03 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home