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The equator is the circle that goes round the centre of Earth. It is perpendicular to the axis and divides the planet into two equal hemispheres (or half-spheres), the Northern and the Southern. |
The Earth’s Equator is the imaginary line that runs around the centre of the globe at 0 degrees latitude, at equal distance between the North and South Poles. Like the other lines of latitude, it’s based on the Earth’s axis of rotation and its orbit around the sun. It is the longest of Earth’s five circles of latitude, the others being the polar circles, and tropical circles. This is because of how the Earth bulges around its centre.
The Equator is just under 25,000 miles long, wrapping around the entire Earth. The Equator divides the Earth into northern and southern hemispheres, with both experiencing different amounts of daylight at different times. This, weather, climate and the seasons we experience are a result of the Earth’s tilt on its axis and its orbit around the sun. The northern and southern hemispheres are either turned toward or away from the sun depending on the Earth’s position whilst it’s orbiting the sun.
When the Sun is directly above the Earth’s Equator, sunlight shines perpendicular to the Earth’s axis, and all latitudes have a 12-hour day and 12-hour night. The Sun passes directly over the equator twice a year, on the March and September equinoxes.
Credit: twinkl
Picture credit: Google
