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Research topic:equinox

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equinox

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia

Either of two moments in the year when the Sun is exactly above the Equator and day and night are of equal length all over Earth; also, either of two points in the sky where the ecliptic and the celestial equator ( celestial sphere) intersect. The vernal equinox, when spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere, occurs about March 21, when the Sun moves north across the celestial equator. The autumnal equinox falls about September 23, as the Sun crosses the celestial equator going south. solstice.


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Related entries from encyclopedias, dictionaries, and thesauruses

equinox
equinox , either of two points on the celestial sphere where the ecliptic and the celestial equator intersect. The vernal equinox, also known as "the first point of Aries," is the point...beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. At the autumnal equinox, about Sept. 23, the sun again appears to cross ... Read more
equinox
equinox Either of the two points at which the Sun's apparent yearly path (the ecliptic) intersects the celestial equator; or the dates on which this occurs—on March20( vernal equinox ) and September 22 or 23 ( autumnal equinox ). These points are also known as the first point of Aries and the first ... Read more
vernal equinox
vernal equinox (symbol ϒ) The point on the celestial...each year. It is also known as the spring equinox or the first point of Aries . It currently occurs on March20. At the vernal equinox, as with the autumnal equinox six months later... Read more
mean equinox
mean equinox The direction to the equinox at a particular epoch, with the effect of nutation subtracted. The mean equinox therefore moves smoothly across the sky due to precession alone, without short-term oscillations due to nutation. See also True Equinox . Read more
equinox
equinox Either of the two days each year when day and night are of equal duration. They occur on the two occasions, (one spring, one autumn) when the Sun crosses the celestial equator. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Vernal (spring) Equinox occurs around March 21 and the Autumnal Equinox around September 23. Read more

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