While auroras light up the night sky with their brilliant greens and pinks, much more is happening behind the scenes. When the sun shines on the equator, it results in equal light for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. At this time, unlike during the solstices, Earth is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun. On the equinox, day and night are approximately the same length-the name “equinox” comes from Latin words meaning “equal” and “night.” The 2022 autumnal equinox for the Northern Hemisphere is on September 22 at 9:04 pm EDT. What is the autumnal equinox?įor residents of the Northern Hemisphere, the autumnal equinox marks the beginning of fall. But why? Popular Science and UCLA space science professor Robert McPherron answer your questions. the northern lights, will begin to dazzle in high-latitude skies far more often. The autumnal equinox is upon us, and vibrant falling leaves aren’t the only things returning to our skies. The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, is held in China to mark the autumnal equinox.Auroras shimmer above the Pacific Northwest in images taken from the International Space Station in 2016. Saturn has equinoxes as well, but they only happen every 15 years because it takes about 30 years for Saturn to orbit the Sun.Įquinoxes generally occur about 6 hours later each year, with a jump of a day (backward) on leap years. There are many examples of this in various religious and cultural cultures.Įquinoxes do not always occur on the same day each year. During the equinox, the Hindu temple Angkor Wat in Cambodia is said to be constructed in such a way that the sun rises directly above its central temple. Both equinoxes are designated as national holidays in Japan as a day to honor ancestors. Planting and harvesting seasons are determined by the equinoxes. Equinoxes, for example, signifies the start of important days such as the new year. The autumnal equinox is near September 22nd.įor thousands of years, equinoxes have been a part of many cultures and rituals. The day and night are nearly similar in time. The Autumn Equinox occurs as the sun reaches the equator from the northern to the southern hemisphere, marking the beginning of the autumn season. The North Pole continues to lean back against the sun. The Spring Equinox happens as the sun reaches the equator from the southern to the northern hemisphere, marking the start of the spring season. The Spring Equinox is the first day of spring. The equinoxes in March and September are each assigned their own names. Types of EquinoxesĮquinoxes are classified into two groups. This is the first day of spring in the southern hemisphere. In several parts of the world, especially in the northern hemisphere, the autumnal equinox marks the start of autumn. ![]() This means that on these days, the day period is the same (12 hours) at all points on the earth's surface (except right at each pole, where it will be about to change from permanent light to dark, or vice versa). This only occurs twice a year, on the spring and autumn equinoxes. In other words, it is springtime in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Russia, India, and China on March Equinox, while it is autumn in Australia, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, and South Africa.Įquinoxes are preferably referred to as March Equinox (Northern Equinox) and September Equinox (Southern Equinox). ![]() In the Northern Hemisphere, March Equinox is known as Vernal Equinox and Spring Equinox, while it is known as Autumnal Equinox and Fall Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere. 12 hours.Įquinoxes occur every year on the 20th or 21st of March and the 22nd or 23rd of September, and all days have the same duration of day and night. The inclination of the Earth (with respect to the Sun) is 0° at Equinoxes, and the day and night are almost equal in length on Equinox day, i.e. An Equinox is an astronomical phenomenon that occurs twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall, when the Earth's axis is turned neither away from nor towards the Sun.
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