Early July marks the point of aphelion, or furthest distance, from the sun. In early January, it is at its perihelion, or closest distance to the sun. The word "equinox" itself comes from the Latin equi, meaning "equal", and nox, or "night".īecause the earth orbits the sun in an elliptical pattern, its distance from the sun varies at different times of the year. This happens twice in each calendar year: once in late March and again in late September. With the solar terminator (also known as the "edge" between night and day) falling perpendicular to the equator, Earth's northern and southern hemispheres are equally illuminated, and the length of day and night are approximately equal all over the world. It is the point where the ecliptic pathway of the sun intersects with the celestial equator, an imaginary plane representing a projection of the earth's equator out into space. Because seasons in the Southern Hemisphere are the opposite of those in the north, the southern vernal equinox occurs on September 22 or 23, and lasts until their summer solstice in December.Īn equinox occurs when the center of the sun is directly above the earth's equator, travelling along the earth's equatorial line. Known as the "Spring-" or "March-" equinox it is widely considered to be the beginning of the spring season, which lasts until the summer solstice in late June. In the Northern Hemisphere, the vernal equinox occurs at a point falling between March 19 and 21, usually on March 20. Editorial credit: Harjeet Singh Narang / What is the Vernal Equinox? Celebration of Holi in Nandgaon, India.
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