Seasonal configuration of Earth and Sun
Earth's orbit around the Sun, with the positions of solstices and equinoxes.
autumnal equinox
astronomy
- Related Topics:
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- On the Web:
- CNN - Fall equinox: Why the first day of fall isn?t as equal as you might think (July 12, 2025)
autumnal equinox, two moments in the year when the Sun is exactly above the Equator and day and night are of equal length; also, either of the two points in the sky where the ecliptic (the Sun’s annual pathway) and the celestial equator intersect. In the Northern Hemisphere the autumnal equinox falls about September 22 or 23, as the Sun crosses the celestial equator going south. In the Southern Hemisphere the equinox occurs on March 20 or 21, when the Sun moves north across the celestial equator.
What causes the seasons?In many parts of the world, weather cycles through the four seasons like clockwork: spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
See all videos for this articleAccording to the astronomical definition of the seasons, the autumnal equinox also marks the beginning of autumn, which lasts until the winter solstice (December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere, June 20 or 21 in the Southern Hemisphere).
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