What is Spring Equinox?

The Spring Equinox is also known as “Vernal Equinox”. In the year 2021, it will fall on March 20, 2021. It will technically be occurring at 9.37 in the morning.

Highlights

March 20 is the most common date for the Spring Equinox. However, it can occur on any date between 19 to 21 March.  March 20 is considered as the first day of the spring as per the astronomical calculation of the seasons. The date is based on the two equinoxes and solstices. The astronomical spring will end on June 21, 2021 which is called as the summer solstice.

Background

The Equinoxes have got their name from the Latin word for the equal night. It marks the two points in a year when equator is the closest part of Earth to sun. In the vernal equinox, the northern and southern hemispheres will share the sunlight equally. It means that the planet gets 12 hours of daylight and darkness during those days. This is also complicated by the Earth’s atmosphere affecting the way the sunlight is seen through. The northern or the southern hemisphere points more towards the sun which in turn brings the warmer temperatures of spring and summer for the six months in each year.

About Vernal Equinox

The Vernal Equinox is also known as the Northward equinox. In the common year, the computed time slippage time is about 5 hours 49 minutes later compared to the previous year. On the other hand, it is about 18 hours 11 minutes in a leap year earlier compared to the previous year. To balance the increases in the common years against the losses of leap years, the calendar date of March equinox drifts in between the 19^th March and 21^st March.  In astronomy, the March equinox is considered as the zero point of the sidereal time. It is also considered as a reference for calendars and celebrations in several human cultures and religions.

Month: Current Affairs - March, 2021