The Vernal Equinox, along with the Autumn, Summer, and Winter Equinoxes, represent the beginning of a new season on the differing hemispheres. On March 20, 2025, the Vernal Equinox begins in the Northern Hemisphere–that’s us, and the Autumn Equinox in the Western Hemisphere. The Vernal Equinox represents the beginning of spring, a season full of sunshine and flowering–a fresh start from the rain and snow of winter.
The Vernal Equinox is scientifically known as a time in the year where the sun crosses the celestial and ecliptic equators where they intersect, and effectively landing directly above the equator of Earth, enacting the Vernal Equinox. During the Vernal Equinox, the days and nights are equal in length, discovered to be caused when the Sun’s ray hits the Earth directly, and the axis of the Earth; 23.5 degrees, is perpendicular to the Sun’s rays, causing the Sun’s path to be equally divided above and below the horizon.
The earliest recognition of the Vernal Equinox was back in the time of old philosophers, such as the Greek astronomer, Hipparchus in 130 BCE. Hipparchus was a Greek astronomer, geographer, and mathematician, most known for his discovery of the procession of the equinoxes. Hipparchus speaks of this in his book, On Sizes and Distances. However, some also consider Hipparchus as the founder of trigonometry, which is taught in a majority of math classes across the country. When Hipparchus was alive, and observing the Equinox, the sun crossed the celestial equator from north to south along the constellation Aries. Back then, the exact point where the sun crosses the equator during the Vernal Equinox was known as the “First Point of Aries”. Currently, the Vernal Equinox travels along the constellation of Pisces, and will remain there for several decades. In the year 2597, the equinox will occur over the constellation of Aquarius, and will not be back to Aries for another 23,000 years. The constellations move across the ecliptic plane, or the orbital plane of the Earth around the Sun, shifting gradually to the West over time, causing the constellations to change location over time with the seasons.
While some people confuse the Equinoxes with the Solstices, they can be seen as opposites from each other. Although Equinoxes and Solstices both signify the changing of a season, there are differences such as times, and locations. Solstices occur when the Sun reaches its maximum or minimum declination, making the longest and shortest days of the year. Solstices happen twice a year, usually landing on June 20th, or December 22nd, compared to the Equinox, which happens four times a year, landing with each season. In conclusion, Equinoxes mark the times in the year when the day and night are equal in length, while the Solstices mark the longest and shortest times of the year. Relating to location, the Solstices occur when the tilt of the Earth, which is 23.5 degrees, is either at the maximum or minimum, causing the differing amount of the Sun’s rays hitting the Earth. As stated before, the Equinox occurs when the Earth’s axis is neither facing towards or away from the Sun, causing the equal amounts of day and night.
In conclusion, the Vernal Equinox is important to recognize as it relates to the seasons, and our atmosphere. More importantly, its a definitive sign of spring. Break out the sandals and the shorts as warm weather is on its way.
Resources:
“Autumnal Equinox | Definition, Dates, & Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/science/autumnal-equinox.
“Solstice | Definition & Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/science/solstice.
