Current:Home > ScamsThe spring equinox is here. What does that mean? -GrowthProspect
The spring equinox is here. What does that mean?
View
Date:2025-04-12 18:24:45
Spring is almost here — officially, at least.
The vernal equinox arrives on Tuesday, marking the start of the spring season for the Northern Hemisphere.
But what does that actually mean? Here’s what to know about how we split up the year using the Earth’s orbit.
What is the equinox?
As the Earth travels around the sun, it does so at an angle.
For most of the year, the Earth’s axis is tilted either toward or away from the sun. That means the sun’s warmth and light fall unequally on the northern and southern halves of the planet.
During the equinox, the Earth’s axis and its orbit line up so that both hemispheres get an equal amount of sunlight.
The word equinox comes from two Latin words meaning equal and night. That’s because on the equinox, day and night last almost the same amount of time — though one may get a few extra minutes, depending on where you are on the planet.
The Northern Hemisphere’s spring — or vernal — equinox can land between March 19 and 21, depending on the year. Its fall – or autumnal — equinox can land between Sept. 21 and 24.
What is the solstice?
The solstices mark the times during the year when the Earth is at its most extreme tilt toward or away from the sun. This means the hemispheres are getting very different amounts of sunlight — and days and nights are at their most unequal.
During the Northern Hemisphere’s summer solstice, the upper half of the earth is tilted in toward the sun, creating the longest day and shortest night of the year. This solstice falls between June 20 and 22.
Meanwhile, at the winter solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is leaning away from the sun — leading to the shortest day and longest night of the year. The winter solstice falls between December 20 and 23.
What’s the difference between meteorological and astronomical seasons?
These are just two different ways to carve up the year.
Meteorological seasons are defined by the weather. They break down the year into three-month seasons based on annual temperature cycles. By that calendar, spring starts on March 1, summer on June 1, fall on Sept. 1 and winter on Dec. 1.
Astronomical seasons depend on how the Earth moves around the sun.
Equinoxes mark the start of spring and autumn. Solstices kick off summer and winter.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
veryGood! (32)
Related
- Highlights from Trump’s interview with Time magazine
- Are your savings account interest rates terribly low? We want to hear from you
- One of the Country’s 10 Largest Coal Plants Just Got a Retirement Date. What About the Rest?
- Our 2023 valentines
- Federal court filings allege official committed perjury in lawsuit tied to Louisiana grain terminal
- Amazon Prime Day Is Starting Early With This Unreal Deal on the Insignia Fire TV With 5,500+ Rave Reviews
- Houston’s Mayor Asks EPA to Probe Contaminants at Rail Site Associated With Nearby Cancer Clusters
- Latto Shares Why She Hired a Trainer to Maintain Her BBL and Liposuction Surgeries
- Dick Vitale announces he is cancer free: 'Santa Claus came early'
- Rail workers never stopped fighting for paid sick days. Now persistence is paying off
Ranking
- 'As foretold in the prophecy': Elon Musk and internet react as Tesla stock hits $420 all
- Hilaria Baldwin Admits She's Sometimes Alec Baldwin's Mommy
- Iowa's 6-week abortion ban signed into law, but faces legal challenges
- The Climate Solution Actually Adding Millions of Tons of CO2 Into the Atmosphere
- Rolling Loud 2024: Lineup, how to stream the world's largest hip hop music festival
- Is the economy headed for recession or a soft landing?
- For the Second Time in Four Years, the Ninth Circuit Has Ordered the EPA to Set New Lead Paint and Dust Standards
- For the Second Time in Four Years, the Ninth Circuit Has Ordered the EPA to Set New Lead Paint and Dust Standards
Recommendation
The Best Stocking Stuffers Under $25
Iowa's 6-week abortion ban signed into law, but faces legal challenges
Senators talk about upping online safety for kids. This year they could do something
Warming Trends: Where Have All the Walruses Gone? Plus, a Maple Mystery, ‘Cool’ Islands and the Climate of Manhattan
Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
Mark Zuckerberg Accepts Elon Musk’s Challenge to a Cage Fight
One officer shot dead, 2 more critically injured in Fargo; suspect also killed
Inside Clean Energy: A Steel Giant Joins a Growing List of Companies Aiming for Net-Zero by 2050