The vernal equinox occurs on the first day of Spring, which this year was Tuesday, March 19 and 11:06 P.M. EDT.
The March equinox marks the start of the spring season for the Northern Hemisphere and the autumn season for the Southern Hemisphere. During this solar event, the Sun crosses the celestial equator going south to north. The word “equinox” arose from the Latin words aequus and nox, meaning “equal night”. On this day, both hemispheres receive roughly the same amounts of sunlight.
There are several folklores and traditions surrounding the March Equinox. You may have heard that during an equinox, you can stand a raw egg on its end. It can’t be confirmed that this is entirely true, but you can try balancing an egg on other days of the year when the Earth is in relative position to the Sun. Another tradition is referred to as “The Return of the Sun Serpent” by ancient Mayans. During the equinox, sunlight falls in the shape of a serpent on the Mayan pyramid.
Celebrate this Spring season by getting outside! Try going on a hike at Mount Nittany, watching the Sun shift North, or taking a walk around the Arboretum.
This article references an article by Almanac.