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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The Spirit of Harlem by Louis Delsarte
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Fall for Chile
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World Wildlife Conservation Day
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In the valley of the doll
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New Year s Day
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Are you older than this lake?
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Fall color sweeps across the West
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It s tree-climbing season
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Native American Heritage Month
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Arbor Day
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Here, fishy!
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Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act marks 42 years
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Camels in the desert, United Arab Emirates
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Wake up, it s Darwin Day
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Satellite image of sand and seaweed in the Bahamas
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Ronda, Spain
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Ahh-tumn
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A special day for a special cat
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Falling for the Canadian Rockies
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Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
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Mooncake time
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Mexican giant cardon cactus
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Sutherland Falls in Fiordland National Park
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Sailing across the ice
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Independence Day
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Sky island views
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Can you see the family resemblance?
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It s Star Wars Day
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A city, a cliff, a canyon…and cheese
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A plot was afoot