The September (Autumnal) Equinox occurred this morning at 8:44am, the time when the sun crosses the equator.

Equinox derives from the Latin words meaning “equal night” is either of the two times during the year that the sun crosses the celestial equator and appears directly above the equator that divides the earth into the northern and southern hemispheres. When this occurs, the length of the day and the night are approximately equal at every place on earth. Day and night during the September equinox is not exactly equal length. There is anywhere from six to more than ten minutes additional daylight. The sun appears south of the equator in the time between the September equinox and the March equinox.

At an equinox, neither Earth’s north pole nor its south pole is tilting away from or toward the sun. Both poles are more or less evenly illuminated. The September equinox marks the beginning of northern hemisphere autumn and southern hemisphere spring.

At least we usually have agreeable weather through October. A rainy winter would be nice to help do away with those drought concerns. Then, back to spring and summer!