The Spring Equinox explained

By Staff, AccuWeather

RECREATION Updated Feb. 27, 2020 2:07 PM

March rings in Spring! The Spring Equinox provides almost equal day and night! The Spring Equinox or Vernal Equinoxis rapidly approaching and with it brings warmer temperatures, longer days and the rebirth of life long-dormant! But, what is the Spring Equinoxand how exactly does this natural phenomenon work?

The history

Watch the sunrise over Stonehenge. March 19-20 brings the Spring Equinox for the Northern Hemisphere and the Autumnal Equinox in the southern hemisphere. Stonehenge was a traditional meeting place for religious groups. There they would watch the coming season literally rise over the rocks.  Also in Mexico, the Mayan people of Chichen Itza used to gather on the Spring Equnioxto watch the shadows. The shadows from the equinox would appear like a snake slithering down the pyramid steps. The Spring Equinox  has fascinated people, and been a thing of wonder for generations, but what exactly is it?

Spring Equinox 

Equinox literally translates to equal, and the rumor is that the Spring Equinox is equal parts sun and dark. The Earth rotates in space on a slight 23.4-degree tilt. This tilt allows the Earth to tile towards the sun, but on the Spring Equniox, the sun and the Earth's tilt are perpendicular to one another.  The Earth is able to make a full rotation once every 24 hours. The moon rotates around the Earth once a month, and the Earth makes a full rotation around the sun once every year.

Throughout a year four different stages occur each being a single season. The Spring Equinox occurs twice, but in the Northern Hemisphere, it occurs in March, in the Southern Hemisphere it would be in September. However, now that we have the basics down, what is this natural phenomenon? The March equinox is when the sun's rays hit the Earth above the equator. This means that both parts of the hemisphere get the same amount of sunlight and darkness in the day, roughly 12 hours. It's important to note that the equinox and the solstice are not the same things! They can be easily confused so it makes sense to be confused. A solstice is when the sun is at its furthest, or closest, tilt from the sun and these occur in the middle of an equinox.

Photo by Alexandru Tudorache

What happens after?

"Here comes the sun"! The Beatles were 100% right when they sang about the coming sun. After the Spring Equinox, whichever hemisphere crossed into spring will begin to see more hours of sunlight. This will continue until the next season arrives and the Earth changes it's located around the sun.  The Spring Equinox will literally bring the sun!

Photo by Daniel Olah

Sunrise, Sunset

Each new sunrise brings us one day closer to the Spring Equinox! The Earth makes a full rotation around the sun once a year, and each rotation brings changes that transform the world below. A solstice brings news life, and changes. 12 hours of sunlight signal a change of season, a new time for the hemisphere. Celebrated for generations, this natural phenomenon helps bring new life into the world. The Spring Equinox is coming to the Northern Hemisphere, and with its arrival, the sun will once again thaw out the region. Spring will soon have sprung again!

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