What is the meaning behind the autumn equinox?ДЄlthough the summer and winter solstices are perhaps more commonly associated with ancient celebrations, the equinoxes also carry significance for people across the world. The autumnal and spring equinoxes mark when the two hemispheres swap over, whileВ the summerВ andВ winter solsticesВ denote the sun reaching its most northerly and southerly points. The actual date when the timings are equal is referred to as the equilux, and falls a few days before theВ spring equinoxВ and a few days after the autumn equinox.ДЇor six months each of the year, either the northern or southern hemisphere is pointing slightly towards the sun, bringing the longer days and warmer temperatures of spring and summer. In theory the planet should get 12 hours of daylight on darkness on the equinox dates, although this is complicated slightly by the EarthвЂ™s atmosphere affecting the way we see sunlight. Autumn begins with the equinox, according to the astronomical definition of the seasons (Photo: Getty Images) The name вЂњequinoxвЂќ is derived from the Latin aequus, which means equal, and nox, the term for night.

On the two dates, both the northern and southern hemispheres share the sunвЂ™s rays equally, and night and day are, for 24 hours, roughly the same length. If you were to view the sun from the equator on the day, it would theoretically rise exactly due east, and set due west. The astronomical event marks the moment the EarthвЂ™s equator passes directly through the centre of the sunвЂ™s path, lining up in unison as the world gradually turns.

Autumn equinox 2021