Author Topic: HAPPY EQUINOX!!!  (Read 2958 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline SlowModem

  • Weather at the speed of dialup!
  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 6641
  • WX @ 26.4 kbs
    • Watts Bar Weather
HAPPY EQUINOX!!!
« on: March 20, 2010, 01:50:33 PM »
Spring begins with the vernal equinox on March 20 at exactly 1:32 P.M. EDT.

The word equinox is derived from the Latin for “equal night” and is used now because the days and nights are of nearly equal length.

The vernal equinox is the point at which the center of the Sun passes over the celestial equator from south to north, signaling the start of nature's renewal in our hemisphere.

After the equinox, the Sun will appear higher and higher in the sky, and length of day will grow longer than the length of night.

Notice that March 20 does not have exactly the same number of hours for day and night. By the time the center of the Sun passes over the celestial equator, the day will be slightly longer than the night. Why?

• Light rays from the Sun are bent by Earth’s atmosphere. We actually we see the Sun before it rises and after it sets.

• Daytime begins the moment any part of the Sun is over the horizon, and it is not over until the last part of the Sun has set. If the Sun were to shrink to a star-like point and we lived in a world without air, the spring and fall equinoxes would truly have "equal nights."

It is said that one can balance an egg on it's end at the equinox.   :shock:  However, one can stand an egg on it's end on any day if they have the patience.   ](*,)
« Last Edit: March 20, 2010, 01:53:56 PM by Slow Modem »
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN USA

Offline WeatherBeacon

  • Chief
  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1369
    • http://www.wxbeacon.com
Re: HAPPY EQUINOX!!!
« Reply #1 on: March 20, 2010, 03:07:38 PM »

Happy VE Day! Oops! Not quite the same thing. #-o

Well, we have officially passed the equinox, which occurred at 17:32 UTC (1:32PM EDT).
Mae govannen!
Kevin  (Member AMS) http://www.wxbeacon.com               Genesee County, Michigan
Hardware:  Davis Vantage Pro Wireless, Midland WR-300
Software: VWS 14.01p43, WeatherFlash, & GRLevel3

Offline W Thomas

  • Welcome to my area!
  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1643
  • In Loving Memory Of Hooker The Weather Dog !
    • Smyth-Grayson Weather
Re: HAPPY EQUINOX!!!
« Reply #2 on: March 20, 2010, 05:22:03 PM »
After this Winter I am glad to see Spring!!!


     Best Regards
     Wayne

CWOP CW8217
KVAWHITE22 Wunderground   Davis VUE &  Davis Vantage Pro 2  /   Dedicated Server
GR Level 3 ,Level 2 AE Radars  Weather Display 10.37P  Mid Atlantic Weather Network Member
SkyWarn & Spotter Network 6092

Offline Weather Display

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 2611
    • West Coast Road Weather Data
Re: HAPPY EQUINOX!!!
« Reply #3 on: March 20, 2010, 05:23:52 PM »
and for people in the southern hemisphere it is the start of autumn

one thing that is interesting is that for areas south and north of the equator in the tropics, then sun passes overhead between the longest day and the quinox for the second time...it did the same thing between the spring equinox and the longest day
so they get the most solar heating 2 x, and not just during the longest day period
and so that also means the ocean in that area peaks in temperature after that second solar overhead crossing, i.e around the equinox (ocean temperature lags air temperature), which is why the hurricane season lasts so long into the autumn (i.e can last for another month after the equinox)
Brian
info@weather-display.com
http://www.weather-display.com

Offline SlowModem

  • Weather at the speed of dialup!
  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 6641
  • WX @ 26.4 kbs
    • Watts Bar Weather
Re: HAPPY EQUINOX!!!
« Reply #4 on: March 20, 2010, 06:31:12 PM »
After this Winter I am glad to see Spring!!!

I'm sure the folks at Lowe's, etc., are too.  I stopped by Lowe's after work this evening and it looked like everyone in the surrounding counties was there.  wow!
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN USA

Offline W Thomas

  • Welcome to my area!
  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1643
  • In Loving Memory Of Hooker The Weather Dog !
    • Smyth-Grayson Weather
Re: HAPPY EQUINOX!!!
« Reply #5 on: March 21, 2010, 12:16:48 AM »
After this Winter I am glad to see Spring!!!

I'm sure the folks at Lowe's, etc., are too.  I stopped by Lowe's after work this evening and it looked like everyone in the surrounding counties was there.  wow!

I can imagine!!


     Best Regards
     Wayne

CWOP CW8217
KVAWHITE22 Wunderground   Davis VUE &  Davis Vantage Pro 2  /   Dedicated Server
GR Level 3 ,Level 2 AE Radars  Weather Display 10.37P  Mid Atlantic Weather Network Member
SkyWarn & Spotter Network 6092

 

anything