Fall is Just Around the Corner: Thursday, September 22, is Fall Equinox 2016!

It’s all over TV and the airwaves; everywhere you turn there is one simple message. Fall is coming. While it may not seem like it, relief from these lasting summer days is fast approaching. If you still aren’t convinced, note that the first day of fall, or the fall equinox, takes place this Thursday, September 22nd.

So what exactly is the fall equinox? Equinox is a Latin term meaning “equal night.” During the fall equinox, the sun crosses the so-called “celestial equator,” an imaginary line over the equator that signifies when day and night are equal to each other.

On Thursday at exactly 10:21 a.m. EDT, the northern hemisphere will enter into fall according to the Farmer’s Almanac. The day will be roughly an equal amount of nighttime and daytime, marking the celestial end of summer. Yearly, the equinox occurs every September, falling anywhere from September 22 to the 24th.

The changing of seasons is not just something that fascinates our culture, but has actually been a point of interest through the ages. Ancient civilization used to build structures like pyramids and temples to track the progression of the moon, sun, and the seasons. These would provide the people with limited, but interactive, information about the world around them. This information would pass on through the generations and eventually help in the progression of more modern technology.

Can you even see the fall equinox? While you might not be able to see the actual event taking place in front of you like a blood moon, the evidence of the equinox is all around. Experts report that the days will eventually be shorter and the nights will be longer after the coming of the equinox and with the approach of winter.

Other signs of the equinox include the sun rising later and nightfall approaching sooner. Astronomically, one might be able to notice a shifting of the sun’s arc drifting southward. Experts state that the September equinox temperatures will begin to fall cold due to the tilt of the sun, as it will shine more directly on the southern half of our planet, rather than the northern half.

It should be noted that an equinox is different from another astronomical event known as a solstice. Solstices are more concerned about the position of the sun in its northern and southern most parts. Also, solstices tend to mark the beginning of other seasons, such as summer and winter.

Do people around the world celebrate the fall equinox? Various cultures celebrate the beginning of fall and the equinox with annual festivals. In Australia, the equinox has played a major role in the oral traditions of its indigenous people’s culture. In China, the equinox is known as the mid-autumn or moon festival. This festival is thrown every year to celebrate the abundance of summer’s harvest. Back home in the U.S., one of our traditional fall festivals is Thanksgiving. However you celebrate, fall is here, and with it comes the embracing of a new season of change.