- The Northern and Southern Hemispheres experienced the change of season on September 22, marking the beginning of spring and autumn 2024 | Photo: Pixabay
Autumn arrived in the Northern Hemisphere on September 22, which means a reduction in daylight hours in this region of the planet. This astronomical phenomenon, known as the autumn equinox, brings the summer season to an end.
During the equinox, day and night are of equal length, i.e. approximately 12 hours each. This balance occurs not only in autumn, but also in spring, marking the transitions between winter and summer.
This year, the equinox occurred in the morning hours in the northern hemisphere, giving way to autumn in the United States, Canada and countries in Europe. According to the National Astronomical Observatory of Spain, spring lasts 89 days and 21 hours, and ends on December 21 with the beginning of winter.
Spring equinox
While the northern hemisphere welcomes autumn, in the southern hemisphere spring begins on September 22, marking the end of winter in countries such as Argentina, Uruguay and Chile. During this season, daylight becomes significantly longer.
What causes the autumn equinox?
This phenomenon occurs annually between September 22 and 23 in the northern hemisphere and March 20 and 21 in the southern hemisphere. The exact date varies because the Earth’s orbital period is not an integer.
Experts say the Earth takes approximately 365.24 days to complete one orbit around the Sun, which causes this seasonal change each year. According to National GeographicThe 23.5-degree tilt of the Earth’s axis allows both hemispheres to receive heat, albeit unequally. Starting on September 22, the southern hemisphere receives more sunlight.
During the equinox, the Sun’s rays fall perpendicularly on the equator, distributing light and darkness equally between both hemispheres.
Difference between solstice and equinox
Equinoxes are times when day and night are of equal length, while solstices mark the longest (summer) and shortest (winter) days of the year. Equinoxes occur in March and September, while solstices occur in June and December.
How some countries receive the phenomenon
The autumnal equinox is associated with harvests and preparation for winter, but it is also a time of celebration in many cultures.
In Japan, the equinoxes mark the beginning of Ohigan, a Buddhist holiday in which ancestors are honored through visits to their graves and offerings.
In the United Kingdom, Celtic culture celebrates Haleg-Montag, known as the Holy Month or Harvest Time, in gratitude for the fruits obtained during the summer.
In Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, citizens celebrate the autumn equinox on the banks of the Neris River, burning straw sculptures inspired by mythology and lighting candles to welcome the new season.
Related news
#Autumn #equinox #phenomenon #occur
2024-09-23 02:56:16
