tropic of cancer

The Tropic of Cancer is an imaginary line of latitude approximately 23.5 degrees north of the Equator. It marks the northernmost position where the Sun can be directly overhead, which occurs around the June solstice. This latitude corresponds to the northernmost declination of the Sun's path in the sky. It passes through 17 countries across 3 continents and serves as a boundary for the tropical climate zone. The Tropic of Cancer's position is not fixed; it slowly shifts due to changes in Earth's axial tilt. Historically, it was named because the Sun appeared in the constellation Cancer at the time of the June solstice, though it now appears in Gemini.