AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |
Back to Blog
Summer equinox meaning11/21/2023 ![]() ![]() The astronomical definition of the seasons relates to specific points in Earth's trip around the sun. During these times of the year, the hemispheres experience spring and autumn. Īt other locations in Earth's annual journey, the axis is not tilted toward or away from the sun. During these times, the hemisphere tipped toward the star experiences summer, while the hemisphere tilted away from the sun experiences winter, according to NOAA. At different times during the year, the northern or southern axis is closer to the sun. The Earth spins around an (invisible) axis. The cycle of seasons is caused by our planet's tilt toward the sun. The cycle of seasons is caused by Earth's tilt toward the sun. People closer to the poles might experience icier, more frigid winters, while those closer to the equator might suffer hotter summers. ![]() This is because it gets fairly constant light from the sun, due to its position on the outer curve of the Earth, according to the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program.įor areas to the north and south, the seasons can change more significantly. Regions near the equator experience fairly constant temperatures throughout the year, with balmy winters barely discernible from warm summers. ![]() The timing and characteristics of the seasons depend upon the location on Earth. As it is moving slower, the spring-summer season is also actually longer, by about seven days. However, the distance from our star has less impact on Earth's seasons than the planet's tilt, which means that summers are warm in the Northern Hemisphere despite being further from the sun. Is winter the longest season?Īlthough it is easy to imagine the seasons neatly fitting into four equal lengths, according to NPR this isn't quite the case, they are all slightly different - and their duration changes depending on which hemisphere you are in.ĭue to the elliptical orbit of Earth around the sun, at certain points in the year the planet is moving faster and shortening the season. The Indian festival of Diwali, for example, which takes place between October and November, celebrates the triumph of righteousness, and light over darkness. "In a similar way to the Autumnal theme, Winter festivals celebrate the return of the light during a time of deepest physical darkness," said De Rossi. Animals find ways to warm themselves and may have changed their appearance to adapt. Some areas may experience snow or ice, while others see only cold rain. The roots of the Latin name are obscure, but it was first recorded in the English language from the late 1300s. According to, the word autumn comes from the old French word 'autompne', which itself originated from the Latin 'autumnus'. Why is it called autumn instead of fall?īoth 'autumn' and 'fall' are words used in the English language to describe the season that starts on 1 September in the Northern Hemisphere, with fall being commonly used in American English. "Thanksgiving in the United States is a historical commemoration but it has a spiritual dimension strongly associated with homecoming and giving praise for what has been bestowed upon us," Cristina De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London, told Live Science. Various cultures have celebrated bountiful harvests with annual festivals. Animals might prepare themselves for the upcoming cold weather, storing food or traveling to warmer regions. In the autumn, or fall, temperatures cool again. was 74.0 degrees Fahrenheit (23.3 degrees Celsius), 2.6 degrees above average, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Historically, the heatwave during the Dust Bowl Summer of 1936 was considered the hottest summer on record, but in 2021 the average summer temperature of the contiguous U.S. If you were to view the sun from the equator on the day, it would theoretically rise exactly due east, and set due west.In the Northern Hemisphere, summer starts on June 1 and runs to August 31 What is the hottest summer on record? In theory, this means that everywhere on the planet should get 12 hours of daylight and darkness on those days, although this is complicated slightly by the Earth’s atmosphere affecting the way we see sunlight. ![]() What is the autumnal equinox?Įquinoxes get their name from the Latin for “equal night”, and denote the only two points in the year when the equator is the closest part of Earth to the sun. In 2023, the equinox falls on Saturday 23 September, but it can be any position between 22nd and 24th of the month.Īccording to this system, the autumn then gives way to winter on the date of the winter solstice, which this year falls on Friday 22 December.Īstronomically speaking, this year’s summer began on Wednesday 21 June, the date of the summer solstice. The astronomical season uses the date of the autumnal equinox as the season’s first day, which means it can change from year to year. ![]()
0 Comments
Read More
Leave a Reply. |