Spring Equinox 2024: Exact Date and 10 Amazing Facts

Spring equinox holds different meanings to cultures around the world. This time of year comes with warmer days and the blooming of flowers, but it also holds a special place in the hearts of many cultures. Let’s learn a little more about this special day and what it means to the world.

When Is Spring Equinox 2024?

The official day and time of Spring Equinox varies each year because of when this exact transition occurs. The rotation of Earth around the sub plays a major role, which is why this year’s Spring Equinox happens on March 20, 2024, at 3:07 UTC. However, people in the Central Daylight Time, it happens at 10:07 pm.

Amazing Facts About Spring Equinox

1. Spring Equinox Is The First Equinox of the Year

As you enter the Spring Equinox, it is only one of two of the equinoxes that happen every year, including 2024. While the spring event happens in March, the next equinox won’t happen until fall on September 22, 2024, at 7:44 am CDT (or 12:44 UTC).

2. The Equinox’s Date Varies

Not too long ago, Spring Equinox commenced on March 21, dating back to 2007, but why? Even though most people count on the same day every year, differences in time zones, the axis of the earth, and leap years all play a role. While many people swear that it consistently happened on the 21st until recently, the next time it will happen on this date isn’t until 2101.

3. Equinox” Means “Equal Days”

The main reason that this day is called the Spring Equinox is because of the Latin etymology of the name. The word “equinox” comes from the Latin word aequinoctium, which combines the prefix “aequi-“ (meaning “equal”) and the word “nox” (meaning “night.”) The idea is that the perpendicular angle of Earth’s axis made the day and night equal.

4. However, Spring Equinox Doesn’t Have Even Daylight And Nighttime Hours

When Earth’s axis is perpendicular, the days and nights are relatively close to the same number of hours. However, most places end up having slightly longer daytime hours over the court of this equinox. The actual time when day and night hours are equal is called equilux. While the difference is usually less than an hour of difference between day and night, cities across the world record similar daytime hours.

5. Spring Equinox Is Celebrated Around The World

The celebration of the Spring Equinox is an event around the world, dating back centuries. In Mexico, ancient citizens used to mark the day by watching the shadows cast by the sun over El Castillo or the Pyramid of Kukulcan, looking like a massive snake. In Japan, the celebration lasts for a week, culminating in a festival. Some celebrations last double this amount of time with fireworks and bonfires.

6. Spring Equinox Has Many Names

While many people also refer to it as the Vernal Equinox or Spring Equinox, every culture that celebrates has its own name. Japan marks it as a national holiday, calling it Shunbun no Hi or Vernal Equinox Day. As a secular holiday, it is also known as Nowruz, Farvadin, or simply the Persian New Year.

7. It Symbolizes Rebirth And Fertility

As the warm weather comes in, spring marks a new time in the year when plants can grow and thrive. However, it is more than just a day for new flowers to bloom. Instead, growth and abundance link it to new beginnings, abundant fertility, and rebirth. In some cultures, this time of year is used to clean and start anew, visit homes and loved ones, or clean memorials and burial sites for loved ones.

8. Meteorologists Don’t See The Equinox As The First Day Of Spring

Most people use the equinox as their guide for the first day of spring, lasting until the summer solstice in June. For meteorologists and climate scientists, the start of spring happens at the beginning of March, rather than several weeks in. Their dates are based on Earth’s position, not the dates during the year that the equinox necessarily should happen.

9. The Spring Equinox Dates Will Change In The Future

As Earth balances on its axis, the date of this event won’t continue to stay on March 21st, regardless of the year. While the axis currently points to Polaris (the North Star), the next 12,000 will slowly tip the axis to another star called Vega. Meteorologists say that it will not return for thousands of years to Polaris. While this entire process will take a long time, the axis trajectory will determine when both day and night are almost equal again for the new equinox.

10. While The Days Are Equally Long, The Sunsets Go Down Faster On The Equinox

While it is clear that day and night aren’t equal during this event, the sunrise and sunset of the equinox aren’t nearly as prolonged as other days. Since the sun usually rises in the east and sets in the west, the equinox changes the angle you view it. At sunset, the sun reaches the horizon at a steeper point on the equinox than on other days, making it look as though the sun goes down faster. This is also true of the sunrise because it also experiences a steep angle.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Patricia Elaine Thomas/Shutterstock.com