Our summer of 2014 is in its final hours, as autumn officially arrives later tonight, when the autumnal equinox takes place. It hasn't been the best of summers in central new york, but fall is usually quite colorful with spectacular fall foliage. So, just what is the autumnal equinox?

The Autumnal Equinox

In 2014, the autumnal equinox brings the fall season to the Northern Hemisphere on: September 22 at 10:29 P.M. EDT.The word equinox comes from the Latin words for "equal night." The fall and spring equinoxes are the only days of the year in which the Sun crosses the celestial equator.

Question: Why aren't there exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness on the fall equinox?

Answer: On the equinoxes, the very center of the Sun sets just 12 hours after it rises. But the day begins when the upper edge of the Sun reaches the horizon (which happens a bit before the center rises), and it doesn't end until the entire Sun has set. Not only that, but the Sun is actually visible when it is below the horizon, as Earth's atmosphere refracts the Sun's rays and bends them in an arc over the horizon."

 

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