Meteorologically, Autumn season began on September 01 but it is the autumnal equinox that marks the astronomical start to the fall season. Today is officially the last calendar day of the summer season. Tomorrow is the autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere, when the length of day and night will be nearly equal as the sun shines directly on the equator.
It is time to bid goodbye to the smell of sunscreen and say hello apple cider and pumpkin pie. People will be soon seen wrapped in layers of clothes. According to Skymet Meteorology Division in India, the weather in India has turned pleasant, with maximum temperature hovering around mid 30s and mornings and nights turning quite pleasing. As the days progress, there will be significant drop in both maximum and minimum temperatures.
What is 'equinox'?
The word ‘equinox’ has been derived from two Latin words, aequus (equal) and nox (night) and thereby, meaning ‘equal night’. Every year we have two equinoxes when the sun's rays shine directly over the Earth's equator- one in March and the other in September, making length of day and night almost equal. This year, the Sun will cross the celestial equator, which is the imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s equator going from north to south, on September 22. Tomorrow, the axis of the Earth will neither tilt away from nor towards the Sun.
Two equinoxes, Vernal or spring equinox and autumnal equinox, fall between the two Solstices when the sun is directly overhead at the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere.
Importance of equinox
The September equinox marks the beginning of the autumn season, as plants start shedding leaves and animals gear up for going into hibernation. From this point on, daylight in the Northern Hemisphere will gradually grow shorter until the winter solstice, which occurs on December 21, 2014. The opposite occurs in the Southern Hemisphere, where daylight will now grow longer.