The equinox on September 22 brings us a new season! In the Northern Hemisphere, the September equinox means the beginning of fall, while in the Southern Hemisphere, it is the start of spring. Here are some common statements about equinoxes, with what's true and what's false:
🔸 Day and night are equal on the equinox.
❌ Not exactly. Due to atmospheric refraction, the sun sets a bit later, making the day slightly longer than the night on the equinox, especially in temperate regions. This difference is around eight minutes.
🔸 An equinox begins a new season.
✅ Yes, the September equinox marks the start of astronomical fall in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere, and vice versa for the March equinox.
🔸 You can balance an egg on the equinox.
✅ Yes, but not just on the equinox. The myth says you can balance an egg due to a special gravitational balance between Earth and the Sun, but this is possible any day of the year.
🔸 An equinox is always on the same date.
❌ No, equinoxes don’t occur on the same date each year. The date shifts slightly due to leap years and time zones, generally falling between September 21-24 and March 19-21.
🔸 An equinox happens on the same day for everyone.
✅ Yes, an equinox occurs at the same moment worldwide. At this moment, almost everyone on Earth experiences nearly equal lengths of day and night.
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