Lines of Latitude and Longitude

Lines of Longitude

All lines of longitude are Great Circles. All lines of longitude meet at the North and South Pole. All lines of longitude measure distance east or west of the prime meridian. The Prime Meridian represents 0 degrees longitude.

Lines of Latitude

Latitude lines measure distance north or south from the equator. The equator Is the only line of latitude that is a great circle. They get smaller as they get closer to the poles, but the distance gets greater. Lines of Latitude run parallel to each other. Latitude is measured in degrees from 0 to 90. The equator is 0 degrees latitude. The North Pole is 90 degrees north latitude. The Article Circle is 66 1/2 degrees north latitude. The South Pole is 90 degrees south latitude The Antarctic Circle is 66 1/2 degrees south latitude. Each degree of latitude represents 69 miles. Tropic of Cancer is 23 1/2 degrees north latitude. The Tropic of Capricorn is 23 1/2 degrees north latitude.

Earth

The Earth is tilted at 23 1/2 degrees on its axis. The Earth rotates on its axis once in every 24 hours. The movement of the Earth around the sun cause the season and is known as revolution. The Earth takes 365 1/2 years to make a revolution. The spinning of the Earth on its axis which causes day and night is known as rotation.