Skip to main content

What is an Equinox? What's the Difference between a Solstice and an Equinox?

Solstice and an Equinox


 Equinox is a date when the duration of the day is equal to the duration of the night. The Sun will pass directly above the equator, bringing nearly equal amounts of day and night to all parts of Earth. At the equator, an equinox results in about 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of the night. Equinox means "equal night" in Latin.


Solstice, is an event that occurs twice a year, where the Sun appears to reach it's northernmost or farthest point from an observer on earth or southernmost or the closest point from an observer on earth. 

An equinox occurs midway between the two solstices, due to the position of the sun, solstices are dates when the duration of the day is least equal to the duration of the night. 

The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year and happens around 21 December in the Southern Hemisphere and 21 June in the Northern Hemisphere. The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year and happens around 21 June in the Southern Hemisphere and 21 December in the Northern Hemisphere.


In simple words, if today is the equinox, every day from tomorrow will have fewer equal hours during the day in relation with the night until the next equinox. 

Both equinox and solstices belong to "astronomical" seasons that occur due to the tilt of the Earth's axis. Like there are two solstices, Summer and Winter Solstices, there are two equinoxes, the Spring and Fall Equinoxes. One around March 21 and another around September 22, the March equinox is also called as the vernal equinox signaling the onset of spring and The September equinox is also called as the autumnal equinox signaling the onset of Fall. 

The names of the equinoxes are reversed depending on which hemisphere you experience it!

Labels:
Location: India

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is The International Space Station?

  The International Space Station is a large spacecraft. It orbits around Earth. It is a home where astronauts live. The space station is also a science lab. Many countries worked together to build it. They also work together to use it. The space station is made of many pieces. The pieces were put together in space by astronauts.  The ISS consists of pressurized modules, external trusses, solar arrays and other components. ISS components have been launched by Russian Proton and Soyuzrockets as well as American Space Shuttles. The space station's orbit is about 220 miles above Earth. NASA and other space agencies uses the station to learn about living and working in space. The first piece of the International Space Station was launched in 1998. A Russian rocket launched that piece. After that, more pieces were added. Two years later, the station was ready for people. The first crew arrived in October 2000. People have lived on the space station ever since. Over time more pieces...
Post a Comment
Read more

What is Cloud Seeding?

  Clouds are made up of tiny water droplets called cloud droplets. Groups of cloud droplets form water vapour (gas) or ice crystals.  Water vapour isn’t dense enough to fall to the ground as precipitation. Instead, it rises into the sky and becomes supercooled. Eventually, it condenses (turns to a liquid) around tiny particles of dust in the sky. These tiny particles are called condensation nuclei. It takes billions of these condensed water droplets to form a visible cloud.  When the water molecules are spread out, they aren’t dense enough to feel Earth’s gravity. When the molecules huddle together, they form larger, heavier droplets. Eventually, they become heavy enough to fall to the ground as precipitation.  Cloud seeding involves modifying a cloud’s structure to increase the chance of precipitation. Cloud seeding adds small, ice-like particles to clouds. Usually, silver iodide particles are used.  These particles act as additional condensation nuclei. Unatta...
Post a Comment
Read more