CELEBRATE EQUINOX MAKING AND STARTING SPRING!

In 2021, the spring equinox took place on Saturday, March 20. The event marks the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Before attempting to measure that egg, read this!

MARCH EQUINOX

In the Northern Hemisphere, the March equinox (aka spring equinox or vernal equinox) appears as the Sun crosses the equator, heading north toward the sky. The event marks the beginning of spring in the northern part of the world. After this day, the Northern Hemisphere begins to lean heavily toward the Sun, leading to increased daylight hours and temperatures. (In the Southern Hemisphere, on the contrary: the March equinox marks the beginning of autumn, as the Southern Hemisphere begins to shift away from the Sun.

WHAT IS THE FIRST DAY?

In 2021, the March equinox took place on Saturday, March 20, at 5:37 A.M. EDT. In the Northern Hemisphere, this day marks the beginning of spring.

In the Southern Hemisphere, the March equinox marks the beginning of autumn, while the September equinox marks the beginning of spring.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN “EQUINOX”, REALLY?

The word equinox comes from the Latin word for “equal night” —aquus (equal) nox (night).

In the equinox, the length of day and night is almost equal in all parts of the earth.

With the equinox, enjoy the rising sun for hours, early dawn, and later sunset.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE EQUINOX MARCH?

In March equinox, the Sun crosses the equator from north to north. It is called the “heavenly equator” because it is the line of thought in the sky above the equator of the earth.

If you were standing at the equator, the sun would rise just above the horizon.

Equinoxes are the only two times a year in which the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west for the rest of us on earth!

As the sun moves higher, the slope of the Earth is zero relative to the Sun, which means that the Earth’s axis is pointed toward the Sun. (Note, however, that the Earth does not rotate in a straight line, but remains at an angle of about 23.5 degrees.)

After the spring equinox, the Northern Hemisphere tends toward the Sun. Although in many places (North Pole and Equator have been different) the amount of sunlight has been increasing each day after the winter day, after the spring equinox, most areas will have more daylight than darkness per day for 24 hours. The amount of sunlight each day will continue to grow until the summer solstice in June when it occurs most of the day.

BREAKING THE FIRST QUESTIONS

Q: DOES IT START ON MARCH 1 OR EQUINOX?

A: Yes, both. The answer depends on your definition of “spring.” Both days are accurate; they just come up in different ways. We will explain…

In astrology, the first day of spring is marked by the equinox of spring, which falls on March 19, 20, or 21 each year. The equinox occurs simultaneously throughout the world, even though our clocks reflect a different time zone. And, as mentioned above, this day marks only the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere; announces the arrival of the fall in the Southern Hemisphere.

Interestingly, due to time zones, there is no equinox for March 21 on the U.S. continent during the entire 21st century! We will never see the equinox again March 21 until 2101.

Speaking of weather, the first day of spring is March 1 (and the last is May 31). Astronomers divide the year into habitats to make it easier to compare annual and monthly statistics from year to year.

Weather patterns are based on the annual temperature cycle rather than on Earth’s orientation to the Sun, and they follow very closely the Gregorian calendar. Using days of star equinoxes and seasonal solstices will create a mathematical problem, as these dates may vary slightly from year to year.

Q: IS EVERY DAY EQUIVALENT TO EQUINOX?

A: No, but they are almost equal. In fact, day and night are not exactly the same as the equinox for two reasons: First, the daylight period begins the moment when any part of the Sun has passed through the horizon and does not end until the last part of the Sun has set. If the Sun were to shrink back into a stellar era and we were living in a windless world, equinoxes in spring and autumn would indeed have ‘equal night’.

QUESTION: ACCORDING TO THE LAST WRITING, YOU CAN STOP THE ROLE OF THE BREAK AT YOUR END IN EQUINOX. IS THIS TRUE?

A: This myth of eggs became popular in 1945 following a LIFE article about the spring adage. “The origin of this myth is rooted in the news that the ancient Chinese would create a display of eggs standing on the first day of spring,” said John Millis, an assistant professor of astronomy at Anderson University. “The ancient Chinese celebrated the first day of spring about six weeks before the equinox” so it’s not just in the equinox itself.

As with most myths, it is only partially true. There should be an egg balance at the end of it but it is also possible to balance the egg on some days, too.

Myth or not, this egg trick sounds fun to us. One spring, a few minutes before the indigenous equinox, several Almanac planners experimented with this trick. Throughout the day, 17 out of 24 eggs were standing. Three days later, we tried this strategy and got the same results. Maybe 3 days after the equinox is very close. Perhaps the equinox has nothing to do with it. Maybe we just don’t want to take it too seriously!

Try this for yourself and let us know what happened. (Tip: You may be lucky enough to balance an egg if you use an aggressive position or an egg with a wrong end.)

Q: WHAT IS THE MOST LIGHTEST DAY IN NORTH AMERICA?

A: Summer or June Solstice is called the “longest day” of the year! The longest day date actually varies between June 20 and June 22, depending on the year, and the local time zone. By “a very long day,” it means a day that receives much daylight (compared to darkness).

HOW DO YOU CELEBRATE EQUINOX PERFORMANCE?

For us, the oral equinox marks a new beginning and a renewal of the Northern Hemisphere!

Many cultures celebrate spring festivals, such as Easter and Easter.

Look at the environment around you!

• Do worms and grubs reappear? (The month of March is called “The Full Worm Moon” for this reason!)
• Look at the arc of the Sun in the sky as it shifts north. The birds move north, along the path of the Sun.
• Do you realize that the days are getting longer? Did you know that increasing sunlight is what makes birds sing? All right, eh? Enjoy our bird song page.
• Did the daffodils raise their heads? Trees, shrubs, and flowers are sensitive to the heat and the length of the day, too! From ancient times, people have used it as a guide for the weather. Example: Crocus blossoms are your way of planting radishes, parsnips and spinach. See more of the natural features.
• Do you feel the Sun getting stronger? Longer days bring higher temperatures. Both we and the animals around us take off our clothes and heavy coats!
• Do you get itchy from the outside? March is the time to start gardens and plant seeds in many regions. See the best planting dates according to your local snow days or our Beginner’s Garden guide for beginners with garden tips!
• Do you long for fresh food after a long winter? Spring Tonic, using early spring vegetables, maybe just what you need! Also, discover other spring recipes using the new and seasonal!

ANCIENT DAYS IN EQUINOX: SNAKE LIGHT

By the side of science, our ancestors were more connected to the Sun than they are today. They look at its way across the sky; they track how the rising and setting of the sun and the length of the days changed, using the Sun (and Moon) as a clock and calendar.

There are many ancient sites that mark equinoxes (and solstices). One of the oldest Spring equinox festivals was in Chichen Itza in Mexico. The Maya built a huge pyramid about the year A.D 1000. The lay of sunlight in it marks the beginning of the ages. In the spring of the equinox, it looks as if a huge snake is sliding down a flight of stairs. Mayors called the day “the return of the Sun Snake.”

SPRING VERSE, QUOTES, AND SAYINGS

Verse

• For glad Spring has begun, And to the ardent sun. The earth, long time so bleak,Turns a frost-bitten cheek.– Celia Thaxter, American poet (1835–94)

• Spring-time sweet! The whole Earth smiles, thy coming to greet. – Unknown

• Never yet was a springtime, Late though lingered the snow, That the sap stirred not at the whisper Of the southwind, sweet and low.– Margaret Elizabeth Sangster, American writer (1838–1912)

Quotes

• Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!”– Robin Williams (1951–2014)

Sayings

• Bluebirds are a sign of spring; warm weather and gentle south breezes they bring.

• One swallow does not make a spring.

• In spring, no one thinks of the snow that fell last year.

• When the dandelions bloom early in spring, there will be a short season. When they bloom late, expect a dry summer. 

• Don’t say that spring has come until you can put your foot on nine daisies.