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Let's consider 3 options for my position on Earth:

  • North to tropic of Cancer
  • Between tropic of Cancer and Capricorn
  • South to tropic of Capricorn

If I take a compass and point it to the Sun, will it match next guess:

  • North to tropic of Cancer -> the Sun will alway be to south
  • Between tropic of Cancer and Capricorn -> the Sun may be both to north and south
  • South to tropic of Capricorn -> the Sun will alway be to north
pacman
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    The answer is no. Think of being north of the Arctic Circle in the "land of the midnight sun". What direction us the Sun during the day? – JohnHoltz Dec 28 '22 at 02:04
  • Perhaps your question is missing something, such as a time of day that you are checking the compass direction. When the Sun rises due east on the equinox, it is neither north or south. – JohnHoltz Dec 28 '22 at 15:43
  • @JohnHoltz thanks for your comment! I forget to specify that I consider the further events during solstice. – pacman Dec 31 '22 at 10:09

1 Answers1

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The short answer to your question is yes, you are correct in all instances.

The Tropic of Capricorn is the southernmost latitude where the Sun can be seen directly overhead, which occurs during the December solstice. Similarly the Tropic of Cancer is the northernmost latitude where the Sun can be seen directly overhead during the June solstice.

Between the solstices the position of the Sun gradually varies so that at different times of the year the Sun will appear to be in the northern and southern parts of the sky.

Fred
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  • Thanks for you answer! Between the solstices the position of the Sun gradually varies so that at different times of the year the Sun will appear to be in the northern and southern parts of the sky. - is it true only about a range between Cancer and Capricorn tropics? – pacman Dec 28 '22 at 05:20