The day of the spring equinox of the year. Vernal equinox
March
June
September
December
Equinox- the moment when the center of the Sun in its apparent movement along the ecliptic crosses the celestial equator.
The spring equinox occurs on March 21, when the Sun moves from the southern to the northern hemisphere, and the autumn equinox occurs on September 23, when it moves from the northern to the southern. On these days, for all places on Earth (excluding the areas of the Earth's poles), day is almost equal to night ("almost" - due to refraction, the fact that the Sun is not a point source of light, but a disk, and also due to the fact that the moment of the equinox is shifted relative to 6 or 18 hours of local solar time). On the days of the spring equinox and autumn equinox, the Sun rises almost exactly in the east and sets almost exactly in the west. Whereas after the spring equinox (in the northern hemisphere) it rises north of east and sets north of west, and after the autumn equinox it rises south of east and sets south of west.
The points where the celestial equator intersects the ecliptic are called equinox points. Due to the ellipticality of its orbit, the Earth moves from the autumn equinox to the spring equinox rather than from the spring to the autumn point. Due to the precession of the earth's axis, the relative positions of the equator and ecliptic slowly change; this phenomenon is called the anticipation of the equinoxes. Over the course of a year, the position of the equator changes so that the Sun arrives at the equinox 20 minutes 24 seconds earlier than the Earth completes its full orbit. As a result, the position of the equinoctial points on the celestial sphere changes. From the point of the vernal equinox, right ascensions along the celestial equator and longitudes along the ecliptic are counted. Determining the position of this fictitious point on the celestial sphere is one of the main tasks of practical astronomy.
Spring and autumnal equinox are considered the astronomical beginning of the modern seasons. The interval between two equinoxes of the same name is called tropical year, which is used to measure time. A tropical year has approximately 365.2422 solar days, so the equinox falls on different times days, moving forward each time by almost 6 hours. The Julian year consists of 365¼ days. The intercalary day of a leap year returns the equinox to the previous date of the year. But the tropical year is slightly smaller than the Julian year, and the equinox actually recedes slowly according to the numbers of the Julian calendar. In the Gregorian calendar, due to the omission of 3 days in 400 years, it is almost motionless (the Gregorian year averages 365.2425 days).
Peoples and religions for which the New Year begins on the equinox
- Baha'i - Nowruz see Baha'i Calendar
- New Year for the Kazakhs
Historical events that occurred on the equinox
- See: March 20
- See: March 21
- See: March 22
Notes
See also
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See what the “Spring Equinox” is in other dictionaries:
SPRING EQUINOX, the moment when the duration of day and night due to the movement of the Earth relative to the Sun become equal. In the northern hemisphere, the spring equinox occurs on March 22, in the southern hemisphere on September 23...
vernal equinox- - Topics oil and gas industry EN vernal equinox ... Technical Translator's Guide
vernal equinox- The moment in time when the Sun crosses the celestial equator while moving from the Southern Hemisphere to the Northern Hemisphere on March 20 or 21, which is the beginning of astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere. → Fig. 25, p. 58... Dictionary of Geography
March 9 (21), the day on which the sun enters the sign of Aries (see Zodiac); this day is considered the first day of spring, and since the sun is at the equator on this day, then March 9 (21) for all places on earth is day equal to night, hence the name of this day.… … Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron
The moments when the sun, in its apparent movement along the ecliptic, crosses the equator. The spring equinox occurs on March 8, according to the old style, when the sun moves from the southern hemisphere to the northern, and the autumn equinox on September 10 or 11, when it moves from... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron
EQUINOX, a situation that occurs twice a year when the Sun crosses the Celestial EQUATOR. In the northern hemisphere, the spring equinox occurs each year when the Sun crosses the equator from south to north on or around March 21st... Scientific and technical encyclopedic dictionary
EQUINOX, equinoxes, cf. (astro.). The time of year (twice a year) when the center of the sun is at the celestial equator and when throughout the entire earth (except the poles) the lengths of day and night are the same (12 hours each). Spring equinox (21... ... Dictionary Ushakova
This term has other meanings, see Equinox (meanings). Dates and times of solstices and equinoxes in UTC 0 year Equinox March Solstice June Equinox September Solstice December day time day time day... ... Wikipedia
I; Wed The time of year when the length of day and night is the same. Spring equinox (March 21). Autumn equinox (September 23). * * * equinox the moment of passage of the center of the Sun in its apparent movement across the celestial sphere through... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary
equinox- I; Wed The time of year when the length of day and night is the same. Spring equinox (March 21) Autumn equinox (September 23) ... Dictionary of many expressions
The spring equinox is considered one of the most interesting and unique natural phenomena today. It falls at the end of March and until 2014 it will be celebrated on the 20th. But the equinox is not only an astronomical phenomenon, but also an important period of the year in culture different nations. Since ancient times, the onset of spring was celebrated on this day.
Spring equinox: what is it?
As already mentioned, the equinox is associated with the movement of the Earth around its own axis and the Sun. On this day the planet passes in such a way that sun rays fall straight to the equator. This is the point of the vernal equinox. It is interesting that the sun is visible above the horizon for 12 hours and its rays are hidden for about the same time. This means that it is characterized by almost the same length of day and night.
Spring equinox and its traditions
This day was of great importance for different peoples. Indeed, in those days when there was no calendar yet, the end of March was considered the beginning of spring. People believed that, starting from this moment, winter time loses its rights, the earth begins to slowly come to life, buds appear on the trees, and the first lightning and thunder can be observed in the sky.
To this day, Mexican residents hold celebrations that are accompanied by ritual dances and prayers.
But every nation has its own traditions, according to which it is necessary to celebrate the arrival of spring. And one of these holidays is the well-known Maslenitsa. Yes, now Maslenitsa is celebrated at a different time of the year due to Christian fasting. But the original date coincided with
Initially, Maslenitsa was the passing of winter. They prepared very carefully for this period of the year, because this day marked the departure of the winter season and the new birth of the solar god Yaril. Of course, bonfires were an integral attribute of the holiday, which helped the deity gain strength. In some villages it was even customary to set wheels on fire and roll them along the roads - this symbolized the burning disk of the sun.
In addition, it was customary to create a scarecrow from straw. He was dressed in women's clothing, and a frying pan was attached to the hand. And during such a celebration, Maslenitsa was revered with songs, carried with them from house to house, and sledding. And by the end of the holiday, the effigy was either burned or buried in the ground - winter was leaving.
Spring equinox in Japan
This day is also celebrated in Japan, but here it has a completely different meaning. The celebration is dedicated to the ancient Buddhist tradition Higan.
The holidays begin a little earlier than the spring equinox - about three days before its onset and last another three days after. For residents of the country, this is a very important time of year, when every person goes to bow and pray at the grave of their ancestors.
Preparation is of great importance here. Women clean houses carefully. It is also necessary to restore order in the tomb of relatives or on their graves. And on March 20-21, family members visit deceased relatives, perform the necessary rituals, and visit temples.
One more important tradition- This is a gala dinner. But only vegetarian dishes should be on the table, according to ancient Buddhist laws.
The vernal equinox and its significance for Christianity
Of course, such a holiday has pagan roots. But it was this day that became the starting point for the celebration of Easter. Such a law was adopted back in 325, when Christian countries adopted Yes, and Maslenitsa remains an important holiday, despite some discrepancies in time.
And although it is not customary for us to celebrate this day, the beginning of spring is felt in everything. This is a wonderful day when you can forget about the dark, cold and long evenings of winter and begin to come back to life with nature.
The day of the vernal equinox has arrived - the date that our ancestors considered the beginning of the new year. More precisely, the new summer, since the count went on over the years. For a long time in Rus' this moment was considered the beginning of the revival of nature. The day will become longer than the night, the buds will begin to swell on the trees. It is possible that soon we will even hear the first spring thunder.
The vernal equinox (Vernal Equinox) is one of the most unique natural phenomena, the essence of which, in scientific language, boils down to the fact that “at the moment of the equinox, the center of the Sun in its apparent movement along the ecliptic crosses the celestial equator.” Simply put, on this day the Earth, rotating around its imaginary axis passing through the poles, while simultaneously moving around the Sun, is in such a position in relation to the luminary that the sun's rays carrying thermal energy, fall vertically towards the equator. The sun moves from the southern hemisphere to the northern, and on these days in all countries the day is almost equal to night. From 2010 to 2014, the spring equinox occurs on March 20th.
In the last decade, the vernal equinox fell on March 21 twice - in 2003 and 2007. In other years, the spring equinox occurred on March 20. The sun will rise exactly in the east and set exactly in the west. The equinox will occur at 20:31 Moscow time. It will be astronomical spring in the northern hemisphere, and autumn in the southern hemisphere. The spring equinox occurs on March 20 or 21, when the Sun moves from the southern to the northern hemisphere, and the autumn equinox occurs on September 22 or 23, when it moves from the northern to the southern. On these days, for all places on Earth (excluding the areas of the Earth's poles), day is almost equal to night. Since the Sun is not a point source of light, but a disk, small errors arise due to refraction, as well as due to the fact that the moment of the equinox itself is shifted relative to 6 or 18 hours of local solar time.
The spring and autumn equinoxes are considered the astronomical beginning of the respective seasons. The period of time between two equinoxes of the same name is called the tropical year. This year is today and is accepted for measuring time. There are approximately 365.2422 sunny days in a tropical year. It is because of this “approximately” that the equinox falls at a different time of day every year, each year moving forward by about 6 hours. Therefore, on the days of the spring and autumn equinoxes, the Sun rises almost exactly in the east and sets almost exactly in the west. After the spring equinox (in the northern hemisphere), the Sun rises north of east and sets north of west, and after the autumn equinox it rises south of east and sets south of west.
In ancient times, the onset of spring was determined by the sun, and the days of the vernal equinox were always a great holiday. It was believed that it was from this day that renewal in nature began - the first spring thunder, the swelling of buds on the trees, the lush sprouting of greenery. Therefore, the day when light and darkness are divided equally was celebrated as the beginning of the New Year in many places on Earth: China, Japan, India, Egypt, Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia.
Many peoples have preserved the day of the vernal equinox as a holiday in the calendar. For example, in Farsi it is called Nowruz, which means “new day.” Rooted in the traditions of ancient farmers of the Middle East and Central Asia, the holiday has become an integral part of the culture of many peoples professing Islam. In the CIS it is celebrated as national by Tatars, Kazakhs, Bashkirs, Kyrgyz, Tajiks, Uzbeks and many other peoples. Navruz has been announced in a number of countries public holiday and on days off.
In Japan, the day of the spring equinox is called Shumbun no hi. It is celebrated on March 21, and in leap years on March 20. Another name for the holiday is Tuniti, which means “middle day.” This name is due to the fact that the vernal equinox falls in the middle of the week called higan, which means “the other shore.” At this time, the Japanese visit the graves of their deceased relatives, and sakura blooms in Japanese gardens, heralding the onset of real spring.
The day of the vernal equinox was especially revered in the pagan faith. It was believed that on this day in the annual cycle, Spring, personifying the revival and rebirth of nature, replaces Winter. Most likely, this is due to the main occupation of our ancestors - agriculture.
In the Christian religion, the day of the vernal equinox has always been given great importance. The date of Easter, which is celebrated every year at different times, was counted from this day. It all started in 325 AD, when the Council of Nicaea took place, at which the Julian calendar was adopted for the entire Christian world. According to the decree of the Council of Nicaea, the equinox had to fall “forever” on March 21, as it was in the year of the council. But at the end of the 14th century. The Christian church suddenly discovered that the spring equinox no longer coincides with March 21, and moreover, every 128 years it comes one more day earlier. When the error was noticed, the difference was already 10 days: according to the Julian calendar, the moment of the equinox should have occurred on March 21, but in reality it had already arrived on March 11. Many astronomers pointed out this fact, and churchmen more than once intended to carry out the reform, but each time it was postponed for various reasons. Finally, Pope Gregory XIII announced a competition for the best design of a new calendar. The winner was the project of the Italian mathematician Lilio. And in 1582, the pope issued a special bull, according to which the count of days was moved forward 10 days and the Friday after Thursday, October 4, 1582, was ordered to be counted not as October 5, but as October 15. New calendar After the name of the pope they began to call it Gregorian.
The transition to the Gregorian calendar shifted the dates, and for us spring formally “arrives” earlier than for our ancestors. Maslenitsa in pagan Rus' was celebrated in the days preceding the spring equinox. Unlike mid-February, its celebration in these March days looks more reasonable.
In ancient times, the Slavs lived according to solar calendar, and the dates of the main holidays were tied to the solar cycle. There were naturally four main dates in the year: the summer and winter solstices, the spring and autumn equinoxes. These key points divide the year into four parts, each of which, in turn, is also divided in half. Associated with the solar cycle is the cycle of agricultural holidays. The Slavic farmers knew very well when to ask the gods for rain or its cessation, for sun or snow. By the way, there is material evidence of this - for example, ancient calendars.
Summer solstice- Ivan Kupala Day. The name itself has a Christian etymology, although ritual “bathing” is actually carried out on Kupala night. Their meaning, like jumping over a fire, is ritual cleansing with water and fire. And when else to be cleansed from troubles and illnesses, if not at the climax of the solar year, when the shortest night and the longest day of the year. This time is the time for nature to flourish. The sun moves from a young spring hypostasis (Yarilo) to a mature summer one (Dazhbog). Nature is full of strength, and it is not for nothing that Kupala rituals are associated with fertility. They are not aimed at awakening the power of nature (like spring ones), but rather at giving strength to the ripening harvest.
The last holiday corresponds to the fourth of the key points of the solar year - the day autumn equinox, period September 20-24. It must be said that our understanding of ancient cults is not complete enough. Too much was lost, and therefore too much (especially when we're talking about about the specifics) you have to guess. Modern pagans include this day in the cycle of annual holidays. According to B. Rybakov, our ancestors did not celebrate the autumn equinox separately, but was timed to coincide with the harvest festival. But the specific date of the celebration is not so important, since the ancestors were certainly aware of the equinox itself. The day became shorter than the night, the Sun passed into its next form, the fading “old man”. Dying the day before winter solstice, the next day it will be reborn in the guise of a young man...
Between these “peaks” of the year there are holidays that divide the “quarters” of the year in half.
February 11-18 - Veles days. At the everyday level, Veles is the patron of livestock, in a broad sense the giver of material goods and wealth. Why is a day in the middle of winter dedicated to Veles? Because Veles is the ruler of the world of the dead, this is precisely his main hypostasis. It is not surprising that Veles Day is celebrated at the apogee of winter, the period of the most severe cold. But everything in the world is cyclical, and right now a new summer is emerging, a new life cycle. During the Christian era, Veles was replaced by the Christian patron saint of livestock, Saint Blaise. Blasius, according to his life, during the persecution of Christians hid in a cave, to which wild animals approached, receiving blessings and healing from him.
June 4 - Yarilin's day, beginning of summer. (The week preceding it is known as the Green Christmastide). This is a ritual meal in the field, initiation rites for young men, games, dances, often with a pronounced erotic aspect... And it is not surprising, because Yarilo is associated with life-giving force, mature nature.
July 20 - Perunov day(and the week preceding it). Rituals and beliefs associated with water (in particular, the ban on bathing) can be explained as an attempt to protect the ripening crop from rain. Perun is the god of warriors, but for farmers he is the god of thunderstorms. Ritual war games are perfect for appeasing Perun. And not only them... The ritual of dousing may carry echoes of ancient sacrifices.
November 1-7 - Svarog days(or days of Mokosh). This is a period of remembrance of ancestors and preparation for winter. Now we know better the Western analogue of this holiday, Halloween. The mummers could portray spirits on the loose, rejoicing in the coming winter. Or perhaps the deceased ancestors who were invited to a treat later turned into “spirits”. But Svarog is also the patron of weddings. And therefore, on these days, festivities were held - meetings of guys with girls.
Of course, dates may be inaccurate, and the original meaning of many holidays has been lost. But it is important to understand that all these holidays did not arise out of nowhere; they are determined by the very way of life in traditional culture. The spring equinox is the beginning of the agricultural new summer, one of the most important holidays of the annual cycle, when the baby Sun becomes a youth and “grows,” blossoming along with all of nature.
The time when the center of the Sun, in its apparent movement along the ecliptic, crosses the celestial equator is called equinox. At this time, the Earth is in a position relative to the Sun when both hemispheres, from the equator to the poles, heat up relatively equally, which happens twice a year: on the day of the spring equinox and on the day of the autumn equinox.
The spring equinox occurs when the Sun moves from the southern hemisphere of the celestial sphere to the northern.
Due to the fact that the time interval between two successive passages of the Sun through the same equinox point (tropical year) does not coincide with the duration of calendar years, the moments of the equinoxes move from year to year relative to the beginning of the calendar day. In a simple year, the moments of the equinox occur 5 hours 48 minutes 46 seconds later than in the previous year, and in a leap year - 18 hours 11 minutes 14 seconds earlier; therefore, the moments of the equinox can occur on two adjacent calendar dates.
In religion in ancient times, the day of the vernal equinox was also given considerable importance. The date of Easter, which is celebrated every year at different times, was counted from the day of the vernal equinox as follows: March 21 - the first full moon - the first Sunday, which was considered a holiday.
Many peoples have preserved the day of the vernal equinox as a holiday in the calendar. For example, in Farsi it is called Nowruz, which means “new day.” Rooted in the traditions of ancient farmers of the Middle East and Central Asia, the holiday has become an integral part of the culture of many peoples professing Islam. In the CIS it is celebrated as national by Tatars, Kazakhs, Bashkirs, Kyrgyz, Tajiks, Uzbeks and many other peoples. In a number of countries, Navruz has been declared a public holiday and a day off.
In Japan, the day of the vernal equinox is called Shumbun no hi. It is celebrated on March 21, and in leap years on March 20. Another name for the holiday is Tuniti, which means “middle day.” This name is due to the fact that the vernal equinox falls in the middle of a week called higan, which means “the other shore.”
At this time, the Japanese visit the graves of their deceased relatives, and sakura blooms in Japanese gardens, heralding the onset of real spring.
In Russia, they are most happy that the daylight hours will increase every minute and the long-awaited summer will come.
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources
The day of the vernal equinox (Spring Equinox) is one of the most unique natural phenomena, the essence of which, in scientific language, boils down to the fact that “at the moment of the equinox, the center of the Sun in its visible movement along the ecliptic crosses the celestial equator.”
On this day, the Earth, rotating around its imaginary axis passing through the poles, while simultaneously moving around the Sun, is in such a position in relation to the luminary that the sun's rays, carrying thermal energy, fall vertically onto the equator. The sun moves from the southern hemisphere to the northern, and on these days in all countries the day is almost equal to night.
There are spring and autumn equinoxes. Universal time (in other time zones these dates may differ by a day) in the northern hemisphere spring equinox occurs March 20 when the Sun moves from the southern hemisphere to the northern, and autumn equinox occurs September 22 or 23(in 2019 - September 23), when the Sun moves from the northern hemisphere to the southern. In the southern hemisphere, on the contrary, the March equinox is considered autumn, and the September equinox is considered spring.
The spring and autumn equinoxes are considered the astronomical beginning of the respective seasons. The period of time between two equinoxes of the same name is called the tropical year. This year is today and is accepted for measuring time. There are approximately 365.2422 sunny days in a tropical year. It is because of this “approximately” that the equinox falls at a different time of day every year, each year moving forward by about 6 hours.
On the Day of the Vernal Equinox, many peoples and nationalities of the Earth begin New Year: Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan - almost all the countries of the Great Silk Road associate the beginning of the new year with this natural phenomenon.
The ancient scientists of China, India, and Egypt knew very well about the days of the vernal equinox. In ancient times, the day of the spring equinox was considered a great holiday.
In religion in ancient times, the day of the vernal equinox was also given considerable importance. The date of Easter, which is celebrated every year at different times, was counted from the day of the vernal equinox as follows: March 21 - the first full moon - the first Sunday, which was considered a holiday.
Many peoples have preserved the day of the vernal equinox as a holiday in the calendar. For example, in Farsi it is called , which means “new day.” Rooted in the traditions of ancient farmers of the Middle East and Central Asia, the holiday has become an integral part of the culture of many peoples professing Islam.
In the CIS, the day of the equinox is national holiday celebrated by Tatars, Kazakhs, Bashkirs, Kyrgyz, Tajiks, Uzbeks and many other peoples. In a number of countries, Navruz has been declared a public holiday, and March 21 is a day off.
On this day, light and darkness are divided equally. In ancient times, when there were no calendars, spring was determined by the sun. It was believed that it was from this day that renewal in nature began: the first spring thunder, the swelling of buds on the trees, the lush sprouting of greenery.
The day of the vernal equinox was especially revered in the pagan faith. It was believed that on this day in the annual cycle, Spring, personifying the revival and rebirth of nature, replaces Winter.
When the Sun moves from the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere, the autumn equinox occurs.
When talking about equinox dates, we should distinguish between a date based on universal time and a date for a specific time zone:
if the equinox occurs before 12:00 universal time, in some countries located west of the prime meridian, this day may not yet have arrived and, according to local time, the arrival of the equinox will be considered 1 day earlier;
if the equinox occurs later than 12:00 universal time, then in some countries located east of the prime meridian, the next day may already have arrived and the date of the equinox will be 1 more.
According to the creators of the Gregorian calendar, the “official” date of the vernal equinox is March 21 (literally “12 days before the Kalends of April”), since this was the date of the vernal equinox during the Council of Nicaea.
Last time in this century, the vernal equinox fell on March 21 in 2007 and further in the 21st century it will fall on March 20 or even on March 19.