Spring Equinox

https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2018/05/27/18/19/animal-3434123_1280.jpg


Today, 20th March, is a day that is called the spring equinox.

Equinox is a Latin word which can be literally translated as "an equal night".

Putting it simply, today the day is as long as the night and the night is as long as the day. Each one lasts 12 hours. Today, astronomical spring begins, too.

From tomorrow on, days will be getting longer and nights - shorter.

Then, on 21st June, we'll arrive at the summer solstice, with the longest day and the shortest night.

Right after the summer solstice, days will be getting shorter and nights longer.

Until, on the autumn equinox, 23rd September, they will be of the same length again.

Then, nights will continue to grow and days to shrink until the winter solstice on 21st December, when there's the shortest day and the longest night of the year.

(The dates can differ when there's a leap year - then, they're a day earlier.)

Aand, we're speaking here about the northern hemisphere. On the southern hemisphere it's the other way round: today they're having the autumn equinox.

Cool, isn't it? :)

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spring/autumn equinox - równonoc (wiosenna/jesienna)
summer/winter solstice - przesilenie (letnie/zimowe)
leap year - rok przestępny
northern/southern hemisphere - półkula (północna/południowa)