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 and the autumnal equinox in the fall. The word “vernal” traces to Latin and references spring.
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This National Weather Service graphic shows Earth’s tilt, how our planet orbits the sun and when the equinoxes and solstices occur in the Northern Hemisphere.
The Earth spins on an axis (think of it like a line running from pole to pole) with a 23.5-degree tilt. Some parts of the planet get more direct sunlight than others. That’s how we get our seasons, and how it can be summer in the Northern Hemisphere while it’s winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
“The spring equinox is when the Northern Hemisphere transitions from being pointed away from the sun (during winter) to being pointed toward the sun (during summer),” says Emily Rice, associate professor of astrophysics at the Macaulay Honors College of the City University of New York. “The tilt is lined up with Earth’s orbit for just a moment.” That’s when we get nearly equal amounts of daylight and night.
When does the vernal equinox happen?
The spring equinox has a specific time, occurring at 10:46 a.m. ET/7:46 a.m. PT, on Friday, March 20.
How are equinoxes different from solstices?
Solstices are the extremes of days and nights. The summer solstice is the longest day, and the winter solstice is the shortest. In 2026, the summer solstice for the Northern Hemisphere occurs on June 21, and the winter solstice happens on Dec. 21.
Solstices get more love than equinoxes.
“The extremes are easier to mark and to visualize than the inflection points, which are more subtle changes, so the solstices get all the attention,” says Rice. All of them are related to Earth’s tilt and the sun, so think of solstices and equinoxes as siblings that each have their own seasonal connection.
What the equinox looks like from space
It can be challenging to visualize the Earth’s tilt and what happens during an equinox from down on the ground, so NASA put together a video showing the Earth as seen by a satellite.
It tracks our planet through its seasons. Watch how night and daylight shift over time.
How to celebrate the spring equinox
Perhaps you’ve heard that the only day you can balance a raw egg on its end is on the equinox. This legend might be accompanied by some vague discussion points about Earth’s gravity and alignment and the sun.
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I balanced this egg on its end on a day that wasn’t the equinox.
One of Rice’s annual equinox duties is debunking the egg-balancing myth.
“Astronomers are usually on the internet telling people that no, they can’t actually balance an egg on its end only on an equinox,” she said. You can go ahead and try it, but be sure to also test it out on a day that’s not the equinox. I pulled it off on Feb. 27, in case you’re wondering.
An equinox is a subtle phenomenon. There are no showy celestial events to mark the day. Don’t let that deter you. The vernal equinox is what you make of it.
“Considering that the Earth’s orbit doesn’t have a beginning or an end, a year could really be started any time, and the equinox is more astronomically meaningful than Jan. 1,” says Rice.
You can come up with your own way to celebrate the occasion. Tell your friends and co-workers it’s the start of astronomical spring. Plant some seeds. Clean your house. Spend time outside. Make plans for spring break. And take a moment to toast the sun, the Earth’s tilt and our place in space that brings us the vernal equinox.
