September 22nd is an important day in the annual calendar – it’s a day our Mother Earth demonstrates her creativity and brilliance – the Autumnal Equinox. The day, 9/22, gives us the precise moment when the Sun passes directly above Mother Earth’s equator.
What exactly is the equator?
Let’s look : “Latitude: It is set at 0 degrees latitude. It serves as the starting point for measuring latitude (distances north or south). It divides the Earth into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere. It is about 24,902 miles (40,075 kilometers) around.
“Because the Earth spins, it bulges slightly at the middle, making the planet wider there than from pole to pole. It passes through 13 countries, including Ecuador, Brazil, Indonesia, and Kenya. Most of the equator crosses over open ocean. Places on the equator get direct sunlight year-round, resulting in warm temperatures and very consistent daylight hours.”
So there we have it!! On September 22nd at 8:05 pm the sun will move from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere and the Winter season will be on its way in North America. Mother Earth needs Winter – it allows her to clean up a bit and start fresh in Spring.
Equal Night and Day?
Most people would assert that during the equinox day and night are equally long. But according to an online Weather Presenter named Elizabeth Rizzini that’s not exactly true:
“Because daytime is defined from when the Sun breaks the horizon to when it completely sets, the day is longer by the time it takes the Sun to begin setting to when it completely sets. Atmospheric refraction also bends the Sun’s light, so there is light even when the Sun is actually below the horizon. However, there is a day called the equilux when day and night are equally long. In both hemispheres it occurs a few days before the vernal equinox and a few days after the autumnal equinox.”
Okay, how do we find out if the day and the night are equal in time? We asked the Internet and were told that sunrise is at 7:25 AM and sunset is at 7:34 PM EDT on September 22nd. The exact astronomical equinox moment occurs later that day at 8:05 PM EDT. Well, there we have it – our Mother Earth’s artistry.
The Equinox and the Solstice
While the equinoxes occur in March and September and bridge the gap between Winter and Spring and Summer and Autumn, the solstices occur in June and December.
In December in the northern hemisphere, the Winter Solstice will be coming up next. It will take place on Monday, December 21, 2026, at 3:50 p.m. EST. This marks the moment when our Mother Earth on its axis is most tilted away from the Sun. Once again, it’s a precise moment in time. As we know, this special time is very close to Christmas, and our special gift on the 25th is the return of the light. After the Winter Solstice, daylight hours begin to increase again.
Welcome to Autumn!
In the Northern Hemisphere we’re going to see Mother Earth go through some beautiful changes as the weather cools and the plants take their winter rest. Enjoy!! And we’ll see you in December when the Solstice brings back the warm sun and the new Life.
