The Antarctic Circle is not located north of the Equator. These two geographical lines exist in entirely separate halves of the planet, separated by immense distance. The Antarctic Circle is situated entirely within the Southern Hemisphere, placing it far from the northern regions of the globe. Understanding global geography clarifies why these two markers cannot share the same side of the Earth’s midline, as their relationship is defined by the baseline measurement used to map all points.
The Equator and Global Division
The Equator is the imaginary line circling the Earth at zero degrees (0°) latitude. It acts as the fundamental reference point for measuring how far north or south any location is on the planet. This equidistant circle is the same distance from both the North Pole and the South Pole.
The Equator divides the globe into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere. Locations in the Northern Hemisphere are assigned a latitude value ranging from 0° to 90° North. Conversely, all locations south of this central line are given a latitude value between 0° and 90° South. Any other line of latitude must be explicitly designated as either North or South relative to this zero-degree baseline.
Defining the Antarctic Circle
The Antarctic Circle is a specific line of latitude located at approximately 66.5 degrees South (66° 33’ S). This designation places it deep within the Southern Hemisphere, circling the continent of Antarctica. It represents the northernmost limit of the region where the sun does not set for at least one full day during the summer solstice.
This phenomenon is known as the midnight sun, and the corresponding period without the sun rising is called the polar night. The Earth’s axial tilt, about 23.5 degrees, defines the exact position of this circle. This tilt causes the extreme seasonal light variations observed at this latitude.
The Antarctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude used to delineate specific zones on Earth. Its designation as “South” confirms its location relative to the South Pole, making its position unambiguous in global mapping.
Measuring the Distance Between Them
The separation between the Equator (0° latitude) and the Antarctic Circle (66.5° S latitude) can be quantified precisely. A person would need to travel approximately 66.5 degrees of latitude directly south from the Equator to reach the Antarctic Circle.
The distance covered by one degree of latitude is roughly 69 miles (111 kilometers). Therefore, the total geographical distance separating these two lines spans thousands of miles. Since the Antarctic Circle is 66.5 degrees South of the 0-degree line, it cannot be geographically situated in the northern half of the planet.