Today’s the first day of spring, otherwise known as the spring equinox. But what is an equinox, exactly? The answer lies in the tilt of the Earth’s axis. When it’s winter in the Northern Hemisphere, those of us above the equator are tilted away from the sun, giving us shorter days and longer nights. In summer, we’re tilted toward the sun, so we can enjoy longer days and shorter nights. But the equinox is right in between. It"s the moment during Earth"s annual revolution around the sun when its axis is neither tilting away nor tilting toward the sun, giving everyone on the planet an equal split of day and night. This phenomenon happens twice a year—in March and again in September. For folks in the Northern Hemisphere, today signals a shift toward the long days of summer. But in the Southern Hemisphere, everything"s flipped. It"s the autumnal equinox today—and, yes, winter is coming.
Hello, spring!
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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World Childrens Day
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The scene of a literary crime
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Who left the tub running?
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Celebrating sea otters
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Sweet! It’s maple syrup season
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Agüero, Huesca province, Spain
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Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee
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World Sea Turtle Day
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Spring equinox
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Memorial Day
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Giving Tuesday
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Floating temples in the Land of Smiles
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International Day for Biosphere Reserves
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Looking for peace on the precipice
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A sleeping green giant
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The Blue City of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
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St. Joseph North Pier Inner and Outer Lights, Michigan
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Sky island views
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Gray days ahead in Monterey
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Upstate autumn
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Invisible no longer
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Don t forget—it’s World Elephant Day
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Flamenco dancers
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Last stop before leaving the solar system
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Big Bend National Park anniversary
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With leaves this tasty, who cares about a view?
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Welcome to the pack
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Harvest season begins
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Necropolis of Dargavs
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Vineyards in the Mosel Valley, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany