autumnal equinox: It’s now official! Fall is here at last!
- 09/21/13 10:54 PM
The battle’s lost, Old Sol must yield To darkness creeping o’er the field, The lamp is snuffed and radiant light Surrenders to the pall of Night! (R Weisser 2013) At 4:44 P.M EDT on Sunday September 22 the Sun will be positioned directly above the equator. That translates to equal hours of daylight and darkness for most of the globe. But in the Northern hemisphere, each succeeding day will be shortened until the Solstice in December. As the daylight wanes, the deciduous trees will change color and drop their leaves. It is already getting cooler.
It’s now (14 comments)
autumnal equinox: The "Day of Equity" is approaching FAST!
- 09/15/12 10:20 PM
The specter ‘neath the lintel waits,Then bursts full-force against the gate,No bolt restrains, no lockset blocksTis Autunm’s looming eqiniox! (R Weisser 2012) As the Earth continues its yearly journey around the Sun, we are approaching the semi-annual “Day of Equity!” It’s an interesting phenomenon, as 363 days a year the tilt of the Earth upon its axis results in the number of daylight hours being determined by latitude. But twice a year, the position of the Earth is exactly “flat” relative to the Sun, and every non-polar location enjoys equal hours of daylight and night! The Ancients (24 comments)
autumnal equinox: A day of astronomical significance…
- 09/23/11 01:10 AM
As an aficionado of celestial observations, I take a keen interest in the physics of planetary movement, especially that of our own Earth. Around 9:04 A.M. today, the earth’s axis will be perpendicular to the sun which means that nearly every part of the earth will experience approximately equal hours of daylight and darkness. This semi-annual universal “evening-up” officially commences the season of Autumn. In the Northern hemisphere, the number of minutes of daylight will continue to wane each day until the winter solstice. I often pause and wonder “where did the year go?” But my paltry little efforts are an (18 comments)