Scientists call this shape a spheroid or ellipsoid. If we draw a line passing through the center of the Earth along its rotational axis, the line would pass through the North and the South Pole. The Equator is an imaginary line perpendicular to this axis. Most locations on the Equator experience consistently high temperatures throughout the year. They also experience at least 12 hours of daylight every day during the year.
On the Equinoxes — September and March — the Sun is directly overhead the Equator, resulting in almost exactly 12 hour days and 12 hour nights. What are equinoxes and solstices?
Often called parallels or circles of latitude , latitudes are imaginary circles parallel to the Equator. They are named after the angle created by a line connecting the latitude and the center of the Earth, and the line connecting the Equator and the center of the Earth. Latitudes specify the north-south position of a location on the globe. Locations in the Northern Hemisphere are identified by northern latitudes and are assigned a suffix of N for north. Southern Hemisphere locations, on the other hand, are on southern latitudes and are assigned a suffix of S for south.
Find celestial objects in the sky. In addition to the Equator, there are four other major latitudes that are usually found on maps and globes. The positions of these latitudes are determined by the Earth's axial tilt. You've seen lines running across maps your whole life and may not have noticed them. The lines running North to South are called "Meridians" or "lines of longitude" Figure 2 , while the lines running East to West are called "Parallels" or "lines of latitude" Figure 3.
Figure 2. Meridians or "Lines of Longitude" and degree readings for longitudes in increments of 30 degrees. Parallels or "Lines of Latitude" and degree readings for latitudes in increments of 30 degrees. Note that the lines are parallel when we look at the earth from the equator. If we look at them from the poles, they appear circular. Think about having imaginary horizontal "hula hoops" around the earth, with the biggest hoop around the equator, and then progressively smaller ones stacked above and below it to reach the North and South Poles.
Latitude lines are a numerical way to measure how far north or south of the equator a place is located. The equator is the starting point for measuring latitude--that's why it's marked as 0 degrees latitude. The number of latitude degrees will be larger the further away from the equator the place is located, all the way up to 90 degrees latitude at the poles. Longitude Vertical mapping lines on Earth are lines of longitude, known as "meridians".
One simple way to visualize this might be to think about having hula hoops cut in half, vertically positioned with one end at the North Pole and the other at the South Pole. Visualize hula hoops cut in half, vertically positioned with one end at the North Pole and the other at the South Pole.
As the vertical starting point for longitude, the Prime Meridian is numbered 0 degrees longitude.
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