Day and night get equal billing on Tuesday. A guide to the fall equinox
The fall equinox is Tuesday, when light and darkness split the day evenly. It marks the beginning of fall for the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of spring in the Southern Hemisphere.
Tuesday, September 22 marks the final day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, paving the way for the arrival of the autumnal equinox on Wednesday, September 23 at 3:05 a.m. Makkah time, when the sun is expected to cross the celestial equator, transitioning from north to south. Majed Abu Zahra, president of the Jeddah Astronomy Society, explained that the astronomical start of autumn does not instantly result in a perceptible drop in temperatures.
Instead, lingering summer heat usually lingers for a period before temperatures gradually decrease over the coming weeks, becoming more evident as November nears, contingent on each region's specific climate conditions. Additionally, Abu Zahra pointed out that the autumnal equinox signifies a change in daylight patterns for areas near the Arctic Circle.
As the continuous summer daylight period concludes, the duration of darkness extends, fostering optimal conditions for viewing the aurora borealis during the extended nights ahead.
Written by urgent.news from Saudi Gazette's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Tuesday marks last day of summer as autumnal equinox approaches saudigazette.com.sa
