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While meteorologist like to call fall at the beginning of September , astronomical fall starts afterwards , on the autumnalequinox . This year , it falls on Sunday , Sept. 22 at 8:44 a.m. EDT ( 12:44 UTC),according to the National Weather Service .
At this specific fourth dimension , Earth ’s bloc is pitch side - on to the sun , meaning there ’s an almost equal amount of sunlight and swarthiness across the globe .
A satellite view of Earth on the solstices (left) and equinoxes (right).
This supernal geometry marks the changing of the seasons — from summertime to autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and from wintertime to spring in the Southern Hemisphere . The word " equinox " is Latin for " equal nighttime , " one of two days per twelvemonth when the lengths of daytime and dark are the same across the world .
The fall equinoctial point is an of import manner to mark Earth ’s annual journey around the Dominicus . The time of day of darkness will gradually increase north of the equator until the solstice on Dec. 21 , and frailty versa south of the equator .
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A satellite view of Earth on the solstices (left) and equinoxes (right).
More hours of Nox also mean more hours for stargazing ; some ofthe year ’s best meteor shower bath are yet to come , and the next three full moons , including theHarvest Moon on Sept. 17 , will be supermoons — piss them come along bigger and undimmed in the sky . If you do n’t have agood distich of stargazing binocularsor anice backyard scope , now ’s a great time to clothe in one .
The equinoxes and solstices lead from Earth ’s axis of rotation , which is pitch by 23.5 degrees , meaning dissimilar parts of the planet get more or less sunlight throughout the twelvemonth .
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For those on the equator , the noontide sun will beam directly overhead during the equinox . For everyone else , the equinoctial point is a tricky event to see .
One of the best ways to mark its passing this year is to watch the sunrise and sundown , which will take station due eastward and west , respectively . That happens only on the equinoxes , when the sun cross the celestial equator — the notional line between the Northern and Southern hemisphere sky — no matter where you are on the planet .
