A Brief History
On March 20, 2023, whether we celebrated it or not, the Vernal Equinox marked the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Of course, in the Southern Hemisphere on that day was the passing of Summer into Autumn, making it the Autumnal Equinox for those folks down under.
Digging Deeper
So, what exactly is the Vernal Equinox? It is the astronomical event when, at 5.24 pm EDT, the Sun is shining directly down on the Equator. When the Sun shines directly on the Equator again, September 22, 2024, it will be the Autumnal Equinox (or Fall Equinox if you prefer) in the North and the Vernal Equinox in the South.
Meanwhile, the passage of Fall into Winter occurs on the Winter Solstice, which in the Northern Hemisphere is on December 21, 2024 at 4:19 am EST. The Summer Solstice in 2024 will occur on June 20, 2024 at 4:50 pm, EDT.
Question for students (and subscribers): How do you celebrate the first day of Spring? Please let us know in the comments section below this article.
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Fitzgerald, Waverly. Celebrating Spring Equinox: Customs & Crafts, Recipes & Rituals for Celebrating Easter, Passover, Nowruz, Lady Day, & Other Spring Holidays. Independently published, 2020.
Wheatcroft, Anna. Spring Equinox Guide & Journal Book. Independently published, 2023.
The featured image in this article, a State Department photograph by Chuck Kennedy of Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken participating in a Nowruz ceremony at the State Department in Washington, DC, on March 20, 2023, is a work of a United States Department of State employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain per 17 U.S.C. § 101 and § 105 and the Department Copyright Information.
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