ORLANDO, Fla. – Spring has officially arrived!
The vernal equinox arrived on March 20, marking the start of the season for the Northern Hemisphere. But what does that really mean? Let’s break it down.
So, what’s an equinox?
As Earth orbits the sun, it’s tilted at an angle. For most of the year, this means one half of the planet gets more sunlight than the other. But during the equinox, the Earth’s tilt aligns just right, so both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres get the same amount of sunlight. The word “equinox” actually comes from Latin words for “equal” and “night,” because on this day, day and night are almost equal in length — though you might get a few extra minutes depending on where you are.
The Northern Hemisphere’s vernal (spring) equinox can fall between March 19 and 21 while the fall equinox hits sometime between September 21 and 24.
What’s a solstice, then?
Solstices mark the extreme points in Earth’s tilt. They’re the times when one hemisphere is leaning way toward or away from the sun. This creates the longest and shortest days of the year. During the Northern Hemisphere’s summer solstice (around June 20-22), we get the longest day and shortest night. Fast forward to the winter solstice (December 20-23), and the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun, bringing us the shortest day and longest night of the year.
What’s the difference between meteorological and astronomical seasons?
It’s all about how you define the seasons.
- Meteorological seasons are based on temperature and weather patterns. So, spring kicks off on March 1, summer on June 1, fall on September 1, and winter on December 1.
- Astronomical seasons, on the other hand, are determined by Earth’s position in its orbit around the sun. The equinoxes and solstices mark the official start of each season.
So, whether you’re counting down the days ‘til summer or enjoying the fresh air of spring, just know that the Earth’s movements are keeping everything in perfect balance.
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