It’s been a long winter, and I can feel how close spring is. Here in California, blossoms are blossoming, trees are budding, the orange poppies are starting to pop up and daylight saving time has begun. The vernal equinox is almost here, signaling the astronomical start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
Though equinoxes might not get the same attention as solstices, they’re a lovely way to observe the shifting of the seasons. Let’s get to know the vernal equinox, what it is and why it happens.
What is the spring equinox?
You’ve no doubt noticed the lengthening of daylight as winter winds down, especially with the time change this past weekend. The vernal equinox marks the tipping point into longer days.
The word “equinox” comes from the Latin words for equal and night. Daylight and night are roughly equal during the equinox. We experience two each year — the vernal equinox in the spring
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