The other four include the Arctic Circle, the Antarctic Circle, the Tropic of Cancer , and the Tropic of Capricorn . In the past, these ceremonies have been notorious for their brutality, especially in naval practice. When the Sun is directly above the Earth's equator (on the equinoxes of approximately March 20 and September 23), sunlight shines perpendicular to the Earth's axis of rotation, and all latitudes have a 12-hour day and 12-hour night. A. the tropics B. the doldrums C. the Arctic Circle D. the Bermuda Triangle. Parallels are used to measure distances in degrees north or south of the Equator. The equator is one of five lines of latitude used to help people navigate the world. If it were really circular, the length of the equator would then be exactly 2π times the radius, namely 40,075.0142 km (24,901.4594 mi). The word, equator, comes from the same place as the word "equal" -- it divides the earth in equal sections. Temperatures in most places are generally warm with high humidity for the whole year. The equator is the only line on the Earth's surface that is considered a great circle. In spatial (3D) geometry, as applied in astronomy, the equator of a rotating spheroid (such as a planet) is the parallel (circle of latitude) at which latitude is defined to be 0°. The equator is an imaginary line of latitude on the spheroid (Earth), dividing it into southern and northern hemispheres. Large departures are caused by changes in the direction of the IMF relative to…. The International Association of Geodesy (IAG) and the International Astronomical Union (IAU) have chosen to use an equatorial radius of 6,378.1366 km (3,963.1903 mi) (codified as the IAU 2009 value). Latitude is a system of imaginary east-west lines, called parallels, that circle Earth parallel to the Equator. Geography. The added velocity reduces the fuel needed to launch spacecraft eastward (in the direction of Earth's rotation) to orbit, while simultaneously avoiding costly maneuvers to flatten inclination during missions such as the Apollo moon landings. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The latitude of the Equator is zero degrees. Seasons result from the tilt of the Earth's axis compared to the plane of its revolution around the Sun. The Equator is an imaginary line perpendicular to this axis. Despite high year-round sea level temperatures, some higher altitudes such as the Andes and Mount Kilimanjaro have glaciers. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The strong warming of this area of the place to ascending currents as well as a warm and oppressive atmosphere, feared in other times by the Captains of the sailboats that had to cross it. This also results in a corresponding movement of the equator away from the subsolar point, which is then situated over or near the relevant tropic circle. It is equidistant from the North and South Poles, and divides the globe into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere. Are there places on Earth that have never been surveyed? Rainfall is very high away from cold ocean current upwelling zones, from 2,500 to 3,500 mm (100 to 140 in) per year. The region of the Earth, centered on the equator and lying between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn and characterized by a hot climate. Why is the Equator called the Equator? Alternative Titles: geographical equator, terrestrial equator Equator, great circle around the Earth that is everywhere equidistant from the geographic poles and … The plane of Earth's equator, when projected outwards to the celestial sphere, defines the celestial equator. The WGS 84 (World Geodetic System 1984) which is a standard for use in cartography, geodesy, and satellite navigation including GPS, also has an equatorial radius of 6,378.137 km (3,963.191 mi). The imaginary lines circling the globe in an east-west direction are called the lines of latitude (or parallels, as they are parallel to the equator).They are used to measure distances north and south of the equator.The lines circling the globe in a north-south direction are called lines of longitude (or meridians). The latitude of the Earth's equator is, by definition, 0° (zero degrees) of arc. (often “the Equator”) An imaginary great circle around the Earth, equidistant from the two poles, and dividing earth's surface into the northern and southern hemisphere. On earth, this line is approximately 24,901 miles of which only 21.3% lies on land and the rest on the water. Related Questions in Geography. The geographical mile is defined as one arc-minute of the equator, so it has different values depending on which radius is assumed. [citation needed] Milder line-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are also held for passengers' entertainment on some civilian ocean liners and cruise ships. In other words, it is the intersection of the spheroid with the plane perpendicular to its axis of rotation and midway between its geographical poles. Locations on the equator experience the shortest sunrises and sunsets because the Sun's daily path is nearly perpendicular to the horizon for most of the year. The Navy is chock full of myth and tradition, and what happens at sea even affects our language. In astronomy, the celestial equator is the great circle in which the plane of the terrestrial Equator intersects the celestial sphere; it consequently is equidistant from the celestial poles. Light rays from the Sun's center are perpendicular to Earth's surface at the point of solar noon on the equator. Throughout the year, the northern and southern hemispheres are alternately turned either toward or away from the sun depending on Earth's position in its orbit. In fact, the official name of Ecuador - the Republic of Ecuador literally translates to "Republic of the Equator". The equator passes through the land of 11 countries. [3], The precise location of the equator is not truly fixed; the true equatorial plane is perpendicular to the Earth's rotation axis, which drifts about 9 metres (30 ft) during a year. Average annual temperatures in equatorial lowlands are around 31 °C (88 °F) during the afternoon and 23 °C (73 °F) around sunrise. The Earth's equator is an imaginary planetary line that is about 40,075 km (24,901 mi) long in circumference. At the equator, however, the … From 1880 to 2019 less than 5 people per year have been born with the first name Equator. This might be called a nautical mile. The GRS 80 (Geodetic Reference System 1980) as approved and adopted by the IUGG at its Canberra, Australia meeting of 1979 has an equatorial radius of 6,378.137 km (3,963.191 mi). What is the name of the latitudes labeled on the Analemma A Equator B Tropic of from GEOL 1 at California State University, Sacramento Noun. For example, by WSG-84, the distance is 1,855.3248 metres (6,087.024 ft), while by IAU-2000, it is 1,855.3257 metres (6,087.027 ft). What is the name for the area of calm winds near the equator. The oldest recorded birth by the Social Security... How unique is the name Equator? Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, This article was most recently revised and updated by, Social Studies for Kids - The Equator and the Prime Meridian, National Geographic Society - Encyclopedic Entry - Equator, Equator - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Equator - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Submit your answer. The equator is the only line of latitude which is also a great circle—that is, one whose plane passes through the center of the globe. Asked By administrator @ 26/01/2020 12:15 AM. Lowlands around the equator generally have a tropical rainforest climate, also known as an equatorial climate, though cold ocean currents cause some regions to have tropical monsoon climates with a dry season in the middle of the year, and the Somali Current generated by the Asian monsoon due to continental heating via the high Tibetan Plateau causes Greater Somalia to have an arid climate despite its equatorial location. The Equator is a massive but imaginary line that runs across the middle of Earth, dividing the planet into northern and southern hemispheres. [Middle English, from Medieval Latin aequātor (diēī et noctis), equalizer (of day and night), from Latin aequāre, to equalize; see equate .] What is the name given to the imaginary line located at 0° tha… What are the names of the imaginary lines that run east to wes… Which two countries dominate the. To a person on Earth, the Sun appears to travel above the equator (or along the celestial equator) at these times. The IUGG standard meridian is, to the nearest millimetre, 40,007.862917 kilometres (24,859.733480 mi), one arc-minute of which is 1,852.216 metres (6,076.82 ft), explaining the SI standardization of the nautical mile as 1,852 metres (6,076 ft), more than 3 metres (9.8 ft) less than the geographical mile. A circle that divides a sphere or other surface into congruent parts. [citation needed], Intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and midway between the poles, "Moonport: A History of Apollo Launch Facilities and Operations", https://www.discovermagazine.com/environment/millions-of-years-ago-the-poles-moved-and-it-could-have-triggered-an-ice-age, "The IAU 2009 system of astronomical constants: the report of the IAU working group on numerical standards for Fundamental Astronomy", "General definitions and numerical standards", "Memoria Técnica de la Determinación de la Latitud Cero", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Equator&oldid=1016726724, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2012, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2015, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Passing 4.3 km (2.7 mi) north of the border with, This page was last edited on 8 April 2021, at 19:00. Despite its name, no part of Equatorial Guinea lies on the equator. There's no special name for that length. [5] This equatorial radius is also in the 2003 and 2010 IERS Conventions. This is a difference of less than one millimetre (0.039 in) over the total distance (approximately 1.86 kilometres or 1.16 miles). Many naval traditions, from the Sirens and Sea Monsters of the Odyssey to the boatswain's call, date back hundreds and even thousands of years.. One international nautical mile = 1,852 meters exactly. Test your knowledge on this journey around the world. Asked By administrator @ 26/01/2020 12:16 AM. The equator is an imaginary line splitting the globe into two hemispheres. noun 2 The country, Ecuador, is named after the word, equator. Examine the population chart of niger. [citation needed]. Omissions? It is one of the lines known as a line of latitude, or circle of latitude. equator definition: 1. an imaginary line drawn around the middle of the earth an equal distance from the North Pole and…. The climate at the equator has a special name called the equatorial climate. [6] It is also the equatorial radius used for the IERS 2003 ellipsoid. The equator thus qualifies as a great circle because it passes through the exact center of the Earth and divides it in half. Most locations on the Equator experience consistently high temperatures throughout the year. This is defined as any circle drawn on a sphere (or an oblate spheroid) with a center that includes the center of that sphere. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The official name of the nation is República del Ecuador, which in English translates to “The Republic of the Equator.” Countries On The Equator Are Ideal Locations Of Spaceports …roughly parallel to Earth’s magnetic equator. Due to the fact that the Earth wobbles slightly on its axis through the year, the higher latitudes experience summer and winter seasons, as well as variations in day length. "An equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and midway between the poles. However, its island of Annobón is 155 km (96 mi) south of the equator, and the rest of the country lies to the north. This makes the equator 0.16% longer than a meridian (a great circle passing through the two poles). The Equator was discovered and mapped out by a French geodesic expedition team that was led by an explorer named Charles-Marie de La Comdamine in the year 1736. The equator is one of the five notable circles of latitude on Earth; the other four are both polar circles (the Arctic Circle and the Antarctic Circle) and both tropical circles (the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn). At the equator, the snow line is around 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) lower than on Mount Everest and as much as 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) lower than the highest snow line in the world, near the Tropic of Capricorn on Llullaillaco. Thus, the celestial equator and the ecliptic do not lie on the same plane, but cross each other at an angle of 23.5 degrees. LOGIN TO VIEW ANSWER. Answers: 3 Get Other questions on the subject: Geography. Corrections? large portion of the Arctic… The country, Ecuador, is named after the word, equator.