The Spring Equinox Is Here! Everything You Need to Know

The spring equinox is the official start of the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere. It is when the sun is directly above the equator resulting in almost equal amounts of daylight and night around the globe. For those in the Southern Hemisphere, the spring equinox signifies the start of autumn.

What Does the Spring Equinox Mean?

The word “equinox” comes from the Latin term meaning “equal night” since the length of the day is almost equal to the length of the night during this event. This takes place because the Earth’s axis is neither tilted toward the sun or away from the sun allowing both hemispheres to receive equal sunlight on the day of the equinox. The spring equinox occurs between March 19th to 21st.

How Is It Celebrated?

Around the globe, cultures have celebrated the equinox for generations. Nowruz, the Iranian New Year is based on the equinox, Mexican thousands attend Chichen Itza to watch the sun cast a serpent-like shadow on the pyramid El Castillo.