Despite the recent revival of winter weather, I can feel how close spring is. Here in New Mexico, Roadrunners are playing, trees are budding, and I sow lettuce seeds in my growing garden bed. Mark the calendar on March 20th. The Vernal Equinox marks the astronomical beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
Equinox may not attract the same attention as solutes, but it is a great way to observe seasonal changes. The vernal equinox, let’s know what it is and why it happens.
What is Spring Equinox?
There is no doubt that daytime extensions have been extended as winter has been postponed (especially as daylight saving time has already started). Vernal equinox marks a turning point on a longer day.
The word “equinox” comes from the Latin word for equality and night. During equinox, daylight and night are roughly equal. We experience two things every year. The spring equinox and autumn equinox are the autumn equinox. The word “vernal” comes from Latin and brings back references.
Enlarge the image
This National Weather Service graphics show the tilt of the Earth, how it orbits the Sun, and when equinoxes and solutes occur in the Northern Hemisphere.
The Earth spins its axis (think pole-to-pole line) at a 23.5 degree tilt. Some planets acquire a more direct sun than others. That’s how we get our seasons and how we get summer in the Northern Hemisphere while it’s winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
“The equinox of spring is when the Northern Hemisphere moves away from the sun (during winter) to the sun (during summer).” Emily Rice, associate professor of astrophysics at Macaulay University of Honorary, New York. “The tilt has Earth’s orbits for a while.” That’s when we get roughly the same amount of daylight and night.
When does the vernal equinox occur?
A specific time for Spring equinox is 2:01am Pt on March 20th. There is no need to set an alarm. You can celebrate Equinox all day on March 20th.
How is equinox different from solutes?
Solstickes are day and night extremes. The summer solstice is the longest day, while the winter solstice is the shortest. The Northern Hemisphere’s summer solstice hits on June 20th, and the winter solstice occurs on December 21st this year.
Solstickes gain more love than horses.
“The extremes are easier to mark and visualize than inflection points, which are more subtle changes. Solutes attract all the attention,” says Rice. They are all related to the tilt of the sun and the earth, so think of them as brothers and sisters, each with their own seasonal connections.
What does equinox look like from space
Visualizing the tilt of the earth and what happens during Equinox from below the ground can be difficult. Therefore, NASA has compiled a video showing the Earth as seen on satellites.
Track our planets throughout the seasons. See how night and daylight change over time.
How to Celebrate Spring Equinox
You’ve probably heard that the only day you can balance the raw eggs on its edge is at equinox. This legend may come with some vague points of debate about Earth’s gravity and alignment and the sun.
It wasn’t the day that I lost the balance of this egg.
One of Rice’s annual Equinox duties is to expose the myths that balance the eggs.
“Astronomers usually tell people on the internet that they can’t actually balance eggs on the edge of their horse,” she says. You can go ahead and try it out, but also test it on days not Equinox. I pulled it off on February 27th in case you’re wondering.
Equinox is a subtle phenomenon. There are no flashy heavenly events that mark the day. Don’t let that stop you. Vernal equinox is what you make it.
“If you consider that Earth’s orbit has no beginning or end, the year can start anytime, and equinox is more astronomical than January 1st,” says Rice.
You can come up with your own way and celebrate the opportunity. Tell your friends and colleagues that it’s the beginning of astronomical spring. Plant some seeds. Clean your home. Spend time outside. Plan your spring break. And toast us to the sun that brings us the vernal equinox, the tilt of the earth, and our place in space.
