The earth’s unique tilt at the time of the autumn equinox also makes possible the Harvest Moon. Only two days out of the year see both sides of the equator, north to south, pole to pole, equally aglow, and those are either equinox day. Though the earth may be closer to the sun in December, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun at this point, causing shorter days and colder temperatures, while the Southern Hemisphere experiences summer. It isn’t in a vertical alignment with the sun, rather the earth is tilted at an angle of 23 and a half degrees relative. The answer actually lies in the earth’s own axis. However, the Northern Hemisphere in December is actually closer to the sun than it is in July. One would think it has to do with the earth’s orbit of the sun. How Do Equinoxes and Solstices Affect the Seasons? However, from this point onward the days get gradually longer and continue to do so until the summer solstice in June, which conversely touts the longest day/shortest night on the calendar. Taking place on 21 or 22 of December, the winter, or hibernal solstice boasts the shortest day of the year / longest night of the year. In between the spring and fall equinoxes, are the June and December solstices. From this point on, the days get progressively shorter until the winter solstice when the path of the sun as viewed from the northern hemisphere is furthest south. In fact, the word equinox descends from the latin words “aequus ”, meaning equal, and “nox ”, meaning night. When the autumnal equinox occurs, the sun can be viewed rising due east and setting due west across most of the globe, and day and night are nearly equal length. The difference being during the vernal equinox the sun crosses the earth’s equator moving north whereas in the autumn equinox the sun crosses the equator moving south. As with the autumn version, and as its name suggests, the vernal equinox features a nearly equal day/night period and the sun is likewise viewed rising due east and setting due west from most latitudes on earth. The spring equinox, also known as the vernal equinox, happens each year around March 21st. How Many Equinoxes Are There Each Year?Įach year there are two equinoxes on earth. At whatever point it occurs, the equinox is the moment the geometric center of the sun passes through the celestial equator, an imaginary extension of the earth’s own latitudinal center. On our calendar the autumn equinox or “fall equinox” is represented by a single day, however it is actually an event that can be recorded down to the minute. What, however, will occur as the summer and fall seasons change hands? What is an Equinox? The next autumnal equinox will occur on Wednesday, September 22, 2021. Here in the Northern Hemisphere the autumn equinox is an astronomical event that usually falls on the 22nd or 23rd of September and marks the first day of fall. 5 How is the Autumn Equinox Celebrated?.4 How Do Equinoxes and Solstices Affect the Seasons?.3 What Happens During Summer and Winter?.2 How Many Equinoxes Are There Each Year?.
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