Vernal equinox
From Exampleproblems
The vernal equinox (or spring equinox) is known as the March equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, and as the September equinox in the Southern Hemisphere. In some cultures, it marks the beginning of spring. In Chinese culture the vernal equinox marks the middle of spring. At the same moment that the vernal equinox occurs in one hemisphere, it is the time of the autumnal equinox in the other hemisphere.
Contents |
The solar term Chunfen in Chinese astronomy
Chunfen (春分 / 春分) is a solar term begins when Sun lies between the celestial longitude of 0° and 15°. It sometimes refers in particular to the day when Sun exactly at the celestial longitude of 0°. It usually begins around March 21, and ends around April 5.
| Previous: Jingzhe | Solar term | Next: Qingming |
Holidays
The Iranian festival of Norouz is celebrated on the vernal equinox, as are the Bahá'í Naw-Rúz (which marks the beginning a new year in the Bahá'í calendar), and the Wiccan Sabbat of Ostara (or Eostar).
In Japan, Vernal Equinox Day (春分の日) is an official national holiday, and is spent visiting family graves and holding family reunions.
Easter is celebrated on the Sunday after the first ecclesiastical full moon day on or after the ecclesiastical vernal equinox day 21 March (see computus).
Earth Day was initially celebrated on the vernal equinox, 21 March 1970. It is currently celebrated in America on 22 April.
Tamil and Bengali New Years are celebrated after the sidereal vernal equinox (14 April). The former is celebrated in the South-Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and the later in Bangladesh and the East-Indian state of West Bengal.
Egg-balancing myth
A common old wives' tale regarding the vernal equinox is that this is the one day of the year that eggs can be balanced on their end. Although this myth is untrue (eggs can be balanced on any date with enough patience) and unsound (would it be different in the southern hemisphere? Why not only the instant of vernal equinox? Why not autumnal equinox?) it is often perpetuated in the news. For a fuller treatment of the issue, see Snopes.com or BadAstronomy.com.
See also
External links
de:Frühlingstagundnachtgleiche ko:춘분 nl:Lentepunt ja:春分 no:Vårjevndøgn nn:Vårjamdøgn pl:Równonoc wiosenna sv:Vårdagjämningen vi:Xuân phân zh:春分
