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Canberra Today 14°/17° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

When days turn into night

TOMORROW marks the autumnal equinox – when the night and day are equal.

Solstices and equinoxes were, and still are, times of significant importance in the Pagan calendar, says The Weather Channel chief meteorologist Dick Whitaker.

“Modern day Pagans refer to the autumnal equinox as ‘Mabon’, followed by the winter solstice ‘Yule’. The spring equinox is called ‘Ostara’, and the summer solstice ‘Midsummer’,” he says.

Whitaker said the entire Southern Hemisphere will experience the autumnal equinox.

“After this the nights will gradually become longer and the overall temperatures cooler as we head into autumn and winter,” he says.

“The autumnal equinox is one of the four key points in the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. On these days there is a point on the equator where the sun will be directly overhead.

“Solstices and equinoxes are used to define the start and end of the seasons in many parts of the world, but in Australia we use calendar months for this purpose.”

Following the autumnal equinox is the winter solstice on June 21 when the shortest day will make way for an increase in daylight.

 

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