Q: Is the Autumnal Equinox Really the First Day of Fall?Ī: Based on the astronomical definition of seasons, yes, the autumnal equinox does mark the first day of fall. See our Sunrise/set calculator for day length in YOUR area. However, they are very close to equal (the total lengths may differ by only a few minutes).ĭid you know our rise/set tool now provides day length? In Dublin, New Hampshire, USA-home of The Old Farmer’s Almanac-our day length on the equinox is 12:08 hours. Yes, you can see the Sun before the edge actually reaches the horizon! This causes daylight to be longer than 12 hours as well. Not only that, but the Sun is actually visible when it is below the horizon, as Earth’s atmosphere refracts the Sun’s rays and bends them in an arc over the horizon. However, “sunrise” is said to begin when the upper edge of the Sun’s disk becomes visible above the horizon (which happens a bit before the center rises) and ends when the entire Sun has set. In this case, daylight is still a bit longer than nighttime. On the equinox, the center of the Sun is indeed above the horizon for 12 hours. Learn more about autumn leaves.įall Equinox FAQs Q: Are Day and Night Perfectly Equal on the Equinox?Ī: Some say that during an equinox, day and night are equal. Leaves change color because of the amount of daylight and photosynthesis. Note that fall foliage isn’t due to current weather conditions. → Find 12 months of long-range weather predictions in the latest edition of The Old Farmer’s Almanac ! From here on out, the temperatures begin to drop. It can occur in either October or November.)Īnother definition of fall is “nights of below-freezing temperatures combined with days of temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21☌)”.
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(The other astronomical Moon name is the Hunter’s Moon, which is the full Moon that directly follows the Harvest Moon. Because it’s always the full Moon nearest to the equinox called the “Harvest Moon,” either September or October’s full Moon can take on the name. The Harvest Moon is one of only two Moon names that are astronomical terms and aren’t tied to one specific month. Typically, the Moon rises about an hour later each night, but around the time of the fall equinox, the angle of the Moon’s orbit and the tilt of the Earth line up just right and cause the Moon to rise only about 20 to 30 minutes later each night for several nights in a row! An Astronomical Moon Name Surprise, surprise: it has to do with farming! Around the fall equinox, the full Moon rises around sunset for several nights in a row, traditionally providing farmers with just enough extra light to finish their harvests before the killing hard frosts of fall set in. Curiously, the full Moon that occurs nearest to the autumnal equinox is always called the ” Harvest Moon!” Why is that? One of our favorite pieces of trivia surrounding the autumnal equinox involves its relationship with the full Moon. (See more about this below.) Foliage makes fall such a special season! The Harvest Moon & the Fall Equinox The word “equinox” comes from Latin aequus, meaning “equal,” and nox, ”night.” On the equinox, day and night are roughly equal in length. This ends with the winter solstice, after which days start to grow longer once again. In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the reverse.Īfter the autumnal equinox, days become shorter than nights as the Sun continues to rise later and nightfall arrives earlier. What Is an Equinox?ĭuring an equinox, the Sun crosses what we call the “celestial equator”-an imaginary extension of Earth’s equator line into space. The equinox occurs precisely when the Sun’s center passes through this line.įor those in the Northern Hemisphere, when the Sun crosses the equator going from north to south, this marks the autumnal equinox when it crosses from south to north, this marks the vernal equinox. In the Northern Hemisphere, the autumnal equinox occurs in September in the Southern Hemisphere, it occurs in March. The autumnal equinox is an astronomical event that marks the start of autumn (or “fall”).
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