When is the fall equinox?
This year, the fall equinox comes on Sunday, September 22nd in the morning. The exact time, of course, is different in various time zones and parts of the world. It’s all about the angle of the Earth and the moment the sun hits the Equator. The autumn equinox meaning, which is a word that essentially means ‘equal days and nights,’ means exactly that. On the first day of autumn, the length of time is the same.
Five Fun Facts About Fall
The more you learn about autumn, the more you’ll come to love the season. With cooler weather and amazing sites like the changing leaves, it’s a great time to go outdoors and have fun. Roller skating is a fun, safe, and healthy pastime to pick up this time of year. The skills segue easily into ice skating in the winter, too.
1 – Leaves change colors from green to gold, orange, red, and brown.
Why do leaves change color in the fall? Cooler temperatures and less sun lead to a variety of changes that all plants undergo. The green chlorophyll starts to break down, the sap runs slower, and therefore nutrients don’t get to the leaves as easily. With less green, the other colors show up, and we can enjoy the splendor of fall.2 – Autumn is traditionally called the harvest time.
People from long ago even called the full moon during this time the harvest moon because it is bright enough that the farmers could use it to bring in their crops. Places like Japan, England, Greece, and Vietnam still celebrate the harvest period, as do small farming communities all over the northern hemisphere.
3 – Great bird migrations happen during the fall.
Many bird species fly south for the winter, but they get started in autumn, so they make it before it gets too cold. The Arctic Tern has the longest migration: 11,000 miles!
4 – Ancient temples tracked the equinoxes and more.
Ancestors from all around the world took notice of the sun’s movements throughout the year. Some sites with special meaning at the fall equinox include Stonehenge, the Malta megalith temples, Chichen Itza in Mexico, and Jantar Mantar in India.
5 – Equinoxes happen because the Earth tilts on its axis.
Many people picture the Earth as a ball spinning in space, but not everyone knows it’s actually tilted at a 23.5-degree angle. It’s this tilt that makes days and nights get shorter and longer and the equinox happen at all
Even with the chillier weather on the way in the northern hemisphere, knowing ‘when is the fall equinox’ shouldn’t cut into your outdoor fun. In fact, with the colorful leaves in many parts of the country, it is a great time to explore nature and have fun. Get on your bike, take a hike, or strap on your Nattork roller skates to enjoy the great outdoors before winter comes.