The spring equinox arrives March 20, marking the official start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
An equinox happens when the sun is positioned directly above Earth’s equator, creating nearly equal amounts of day and night around the world. The word comes from Latin, meaning “equal night.”
After the spring equinox, daylight continues increasing in the Northern Hemisphere as summer approaches. It has been recognized for thousands of years in cultures that tied it to planting seasons, renewal and seasonal celebrations.
Today, the spring equinox is both an astronomical milestone and a symbolic sign that warmer, brighter days are ahead.
– Staff report with AI assist*, The Today 100
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