Equator
The equator is an imaginary
circle drawn around a
planet at a distance halfway between the poles. The equator divides the planet into a
Northern Hemisphere and a
Southern Hemisphere. The
latitude of the equator is, by definition, 0. The length of
Earth's equator is about 40,075.0 km, or 24,901.5
miles.
The equator is one of the five main
circles of latitude based on the relationship of the Earth's
rotation and plane of orbit around the sun. Additionally, the equator is the only line of latitude which is also a
great circle.
Encyclopedia
The
equator is an imaginary
circle drawn around a
planet at a distance halfway between the poles. The equator divides the planet into a
Northern Hemisphere and a
Southern Hemisphere. The
latitude of the equator is, by definition, 0°. The length of
Earth's equator is about 40,075.0 km, or 24,901.5
miles.
The equator is one of the five main
circles of latitude based on the relationship of the Earth's
rotation and plane of orbit around the sun. Additionally, the equator is the only line of latitude which is also a
great circle.
The
Sun, in its
seasonal movement through the sky, passes directly over the equator twice each year on the March and September
Equinoxes. At the equator, the rays of the sun are
perpendicular to the surface of the earth on these dates.
Places near the equator experience the quickest rates of
sunrise and
sunset in the world, taking minutes. Such places also have a constant amount of day/night time on every day throughout the year, as opposed to with more northerly or southerly places.
Also, in relation to launching of
satellites, the closeness of the launch centre requires the thrust to be comparatively lesser, and as one moves away from the equator, one has to ensure that the
payload in the launch vehicle is not much, for to get into the right orbit, more
thrust is required.
Equatorial climate
In many
tropical regions people identify 2
seasons, wet and dry, but most places very close to the equator are wet throughout the year, although seasons can vary depending on a variety of factors including elevation and proximity to an
ocean.
The surface of the Earth at the equator is mainly
ocean.
The highest point on the Equator is 4,690 m, at on the south slopes of Volcán Cayambe in
Ecuador. This is a short distance above the snow line, and is the only point on the Equator where
snow lies on the ground .
Equatorial countries
The equator traverses the land and/or water of 13 countries in total:
...
in this archipelago
Gabon
, officially the Gabonese Republic, is a country in west central Africa [i]. ...
...
...
, and Halmahera
|-
| align=center colspan=2 |
...
state
The equator narrowly misses the territory of the
United States near
Baker Island and
Jarvis Island in the
United States Minor Outlying Islands. The southern end of Baker Island lies just 13 minutes of latitude north of the equator, putting the equator just outside the 12-mile limit for territorial waters. However, the equator does pass through the
Contiguous Waters and the
Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States.
Contrary to its name, no part of
Equatorial Guinea lies on the equator.
"Crossing the Line"
Seafaring tradition maintains that all sailors who cross the equator during a nautical voyage must undergo rites of passage and elaborate rituals initiating them into The Solemn Mysteries of the Ancient Order of the Deep. These rituals date back to the Middle Ages, though the current ceremonies are most likely derived from
Viking traditions. Those who have never "crossed the line" are derisively referred to as "pollywogs" or simply "slimy wogs". Upon entering the domain of His Royal Majesty, Neptunus Rex, all wogs are subject to various initiation rituals performed by those members of the crew who have made the journey before. Upon completion of the initiation ceremony, the wogs are then known as "trusty Shellbacks". If the crossing of the equator is done at the 180th meridian, the title of "Golden Shellback" is conferred, recognizing the simultaneous entry into the realm of the Golden Dragon. If the crossing occurs at the Greenwich or
Prime Meridian, the sailor is considered to be an "Emerald Shellback".
See also
