Spring Equinox Research

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 Spring Equinox

By Yazzie Stein


  • This year it’s on March 19, 2024 at 10:06 pm

  • AKA Vernal Equinox 




  • Overview – What is it about?

    • The Spring Equinox is the official first day of Spring

    • “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.” 

    • Day and night last about the same amount of time during the Spring equinox (source)

    • So basically, the exact moment of the Spring Equinox is when the sun sits directly above the Earth’s equator

    • For countries south of the equator, like Australia, where the seasons are swapped, this equinox marks the beginning of fall (source)




  • More info / Fun facts

    • The word equinox comes from Latin origins, and it comprised of two words meaning ‘equal’ and ‘night’ (source)

      • Aequus = equal

      • Nox = night 


  • Rituals / Ceremonies / Celebrations / Traditions

    • On the Spring (and Fall) Equinox, people have gathered for years at the base of Chichen Itza (Ancient Maya city in Mexico) to watch the direct sun cast shadows in a shape resembling a snake moving along the stairs of the 79ft tall pyramid called El Castillo (source)

      • Some think (although this is not confirmed) that the design of the pyramid was purposefully created so that these shadows would form and move to look like snakes during the equinox


  • The Spring Equinox also marks the beginning of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, and is observed by millions of people around the world lasting 13 days (source)


  • The Spring Equinox is significant in Japan as well: the day of the Spring Equinox is a national holiday called Shunbun no Hi, and many people celebrate it by tending to their ancestor's graves as a way to refresh with the season (source)

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