![]() Due to Earth’s tilted axis, the Sun doesn’t rise and set at the same locations on the horizon each morning and evening its rise and set positions move northward or southward in the sky as Earth travels around the Sun through the year. The term “solstice” comes from the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still). (In contrast, the June solstice in the Southern Hemisphere is when the Sun is at its lowest point in the sky, marking the start of winter.) It marks the start of summer in the northern half of the globe. In the Northern Hemisphere, the June solstice (aka summer solstice) occurs when the Sun reaches its highest and northernmost points in the sky. In the Southern Hemisphere, the June solstice marks the beginning of winter. (By longest “day,” we mean the longest period of sunlight hours.) On the day of the June solstice, the Northern Hemisphere receives sunlight at the most direct angle of the year. This solstice marks the official beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, occurring when Earth arrives at the point in its orbit where the North Pole is at its maximum tilt (about 23.5 degrees) toward the Sun, resulting in the longest day and shortest night of the calendar year. In the old days, the early moonrise for a few days around the equinox in the Northern Hemisphere meant that farmers could work and harvest their crops for a longer time in the evenings.When Do the Seasons Start and End in 2023? The reverse effect occurs in the Southern Hemisphere, where the Moon rises more than 50 minutes later than on the previous day. ![]() Known as the Harvest Moon Effect, this phenomenon occurs due to the low angle the Moon's orbit around Earth makes with the horizon during this time of year. Around the Harvest Moon, the time difference between two successive moonrises decreases to less than 50 minutes for a few days. On average, the Moon rises about 50 minutes later every day in a lunar month-the time period between two Full Moons or two New Moons. This is because the time from one moonrise to the next becomes shorter around this period. The full Moon closest to the September equinox, the Harvest Moon, is astronomically special. The Harvest Moon is also sometimes called Corn Moon, after the corn harvest in the months of fall. The dates for this event, which is also known as equilux, depend on a location's latitude-those south of the equator celebrate it a few days before the equinox, people in the Northern Hemisphere reach the equilux a few days after the equinox. Locations that are not on the equator do get to experience equal day and night twice a year, usually a few days before or after the equinoxes. This has two reasons: the way sunrise and sunset are defined and the atmospheric refraction of sunlight. In reality, most places on Earth enjoy more than 12 hours of daylight on this day. This has led to the common misconception that everybody on Earth experiences equal day and night-12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night time-on the day of the September equinox. The term equinox comes from the Latin words aequus, meaning equal and nox, meaning night. Most locations on Earth do not experience equal day and night on September equinox. Due to time zone differences, locations ahead of UTC may celebrate the September equinox a day later, and locations behind UTC may celebrate it a day earlier. Note: These dates are based on the time of the equinox in UTC. This means that each September equinox occurs about 6 hours later than the previous year's September equinox. ![]() ![]() The equinox dates vary because of the difference between how the Gregorian calendar defines a year (365 days) and the time it actually takes for Earth to complete its orbit around the Sun (about 365 and 1/4 days). The last September 24 equinox occurred in 1931, the next one will take place in 2303. However, in the 21st century, it will happen twice-in 20. A September 21 equinox has not happened for several millennia. While the September equinox usually occurs on September 22 or 23, it can very rarely fall on September 21 or September 24. Statue of Pope Gregory XIII Bologna, Italy. The September equinox is also known as the vernal or spring equinox in the Southern Hemisphere and is considered by astronomers as the first day of spring there. In the Southern Hemisphere, the September equinox is the vernal (spring) equinox. The fall season ends on the December solstice, when astronomical winter begins.įor meteorologists, on the other hand, fall in the Northern Hemisphere begins about 3 weeks before the September equinox on September 1 and ends on November 30. Astronomically, the September equinox is the autumnal, or fall, equinox marking the end of summer and the beginning of fall (autumn). The September equinox is on or around September 22, while the first equinox of the year, the March Equinox, takes place on or around March 21 every year. Business Date to Date (exclude holidays). ![]()
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