The Arrival of the Equinox

Spring is right around the corner, which means the Vernal Equinox will be happening this March 20th. On this special day, the amount of daylight and darkness is nearly the same length. 

The Vernal Equinox signals the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, which means we can look forward to blooming flowers and warmer weather! This isn’t the case for the Southern Hemisphere, however, as our seasons are different. So, while we’re enjoying the new greenery (and dodging the allergies they bring with them), the Southern Hemisphere is preparing for the cool autumn weather. 

The Equinox occurs because of the Earth’s angle, as it’s tilted at 23.5 degrees. This means that different places get different amounts of sunlight each year. However, when the equinox occurs, the sun is directly above the equator, meaning that the Earth’s axis isn’t tilting toward or away from the sun. 

The Equinox also lines up with Solar Week, a week-long event that will take place on March 22nd – 26th. Solar Week encourages learning more about our beautiful Sun and how much us Earthlings rely on it. So, this March, be sure to take some time to appreciate that beautiful fireball in the sky (although remember to never stare directly at it!).

Solar Week and the Equinox only happen twice a year -- in the spring and the fall -- so enjoy your next few weeks of March knowing that spring is almost upon us!