Warmer days and blossoming flowers are signs that spring is upon us.
Spring officially begins on Friday, March 20 at precisely 10:46 a.m. ET, when the sun’s rays fall directly on the equator, according to EarthSky, a space and science website. The astronomical winter ends and spring begins, bringing with it roughly equal day and night, longer daylight hours and hopefully milder weather.
Up until June, when the summer solstice takes place, the amount of daylight will keep growing every day.
When is the spring equinox?
For those of us that live in the Northern Hemisphere, the March equinox is on March 20, which is the precise moment the sun’s rays shine directly on the equator.
The Earth’s axis is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun on Friday, one of only two days of the year (the other being September’s autumnal equinox). This means that practically everywhere on Earth experiences 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness.
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Seasons and the Earth’s tilt
On the equinox, the sun rises almost due east and sets nearly due west for most of the world, except for the North and South poles.
The tilt of Earth’s axis, which is 23.5 degrees parallel to its orbit, causes seasonal changes, according to the NASA Earth Observatory. The axis of the planet points in the same direction as it spins around the sun.
What’s the difference between an equinox and a solstice?
Equinoxes are when day and night are roughly equal and typically occur in March and September, marking the astronomical beginning of autumn and spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
Solstices occur in June and December, which mark the beginning of astronomical winter and summer. The winter solstice occurs when the sun is at its lowest point in the sky, while the summer solstice is when the sun is at its highest point in the sky.
Interesting facts about the spring equinox
- Time flies: Around the equinoxes, the sun rises and sets faster than it does at other times of the year.
- The egg myth: Despite what many people think, balancing an egg on its end on the equinox is not any easier than on any other day.
- Not just Earth: Every 15 Earth years, the planet Saturn also experiences equinoxes. The next equinox to occur on Saturn will be on on Oct. 10, 2054.
- East and west: Regardless of where you live on Earth, the equinox is one of two days a year (the other being autumn) when the sun rises precisely in the east and sets precisely in the west.
- This story was updated to add new information.
SOURCE: NASA, Space.com, StarWalk.space, Reader’s Digest, The Old Farmer’s Almanac and USA TODAY research
