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Tropics That part of the earth between the Tropic of Cancer (latitude 23° 27' N) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23° 27' S). More formally called the torrid zone. Sometimes it is valuable to remember the precise latitude of the tropics, especially since this corresponds to the maximum declination of the sun of importance to celestial navigation and in particular to the emergency application of these techniques without an almanac at hand. To a good approximation, the Tropics are at latitude 23.45° which is a sequence that is easy to remember. See the author's book on Emergency Navigation in the Source Book for specific applications of related techniques. tropic... 1. Of or pertaining to a tropic or the Tropics. 2. Either of the two parallels of declination (north or south), approximately 23° 27' from the celestial equator, reached by the sun at its maximum declination, or the corresponding parallels on the earth. The northern of these is called the Tropic of Cancer and the southern, the Tropic of Capricorn. The region of the earth between these two parallels is called the Torrid Zone, or often the Tropics.

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