With fall and Halloween decorations in stores for the past month, most believe autumn begins in August; however, the season begins on the fall equinox, which begins this year on Sept. 22.
The scientific explanation of the fall equinox is when the sun is directly above the equator, when day and night are equal in length with approximately 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night. This equinox marks the beginning of fall in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere. At exactly 9:31 a.m. on Sept. 22, the sun will align with the earth’s equator, making the fall equinox official. As the year continues, we will begin to see less and less daylight until the winter solstice on Dec. 21, when we will receive only nine hours of daylight.
In the Northern Hemisphere, many celebrations and traditions revolve around the fall equinox. For some, it marks the beginning of a bountiful harvest. Farmers believe vegetables are the ripest during this day of the year. In Greek mythology, the equinox marks the day the goddess Persephone leaves her mother Demeter, the goddess of the harvest, and travels to the Underworld to be with Hades, leaving the world barren and cold until she returns to her mother in the spring. The Mayans even believed a giant “snake of sunlight” would appear every year on the equinox and slither down their pyramids in Chichen Itza, Mexico.
Some believe the equinox may have an effect on your astrological sign. Depending on your sign, which is based on your birthday, astrologers believe very specific things are in store. For example, Geminis are instructed to reflect on their relationships while Cancers are supposed to relax and keep calm.
Another significant aspect of the fall equinox is the beautiful aurora borealis. NASA scientists believe the aurora borealis is brighter and twice as likely for geomagnetic activities to occur around this time of year. If you thought these colorful lights that fill the night sky were beautiful before, you’ll love them even more during the fall equinox.
One might think with all these traditions and meanings behind the fall equinox, it would also bring cooler weather. Not in South Florida. Unlike the rest of the Northern Hemisphere, which will see average temperatures in the mid-sixties, Florida’s average temperature during the fall equinox is in the high 80s. So, put your sweaters and boots back in the closet and keep out your t-shirts and shorts because Florida’s heat is not going anywhere this fall.
