With a nip in the air today and the evenings getting dark earlier, it seems like summer is well and truly behind us for this year.
The Autumn Equinox marks the official beginning of autumn, but it doesn’t mean we need to go near our clocks, just yet.
It’s easy to remember which way they go when the time comes - spring forward, fall back - but when exactly do we need to change the clocks this year?
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When do clocks go back?
Clocks will go back by one hour at 2am on the final Sunday of October, meaning we will get an extra hour in bed during the cold morning.
This year, the last Sunday of the month falls on October 30.
All EU member states go back at this time and go forward on the last Sunday of March.
If you use your smartphone as a clock or an alarm, it will automatically update with the current time.
Why do we have daylight savings time?
Clocks change to allow us to make the best use of the natural light from the sun.
Essentially, the ‘grand stretch’ in the summer evenings occurs as a result of it.
What is the Autumn Equinox?
The official first day of Autumn is marked by the Autumn Equinox. This usually falls around September 22, but, this year, it took place early this morning, September 23.
On this day in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun rises directly in the east and sets directly in the west. It means the sun will be directly over the Earth’s equator and facilitates a day and night of approximately 12 hours.
The pattern is reversed with the spring equinox. It also marks the time of year when the Northern Hemisphere begins to tilt away from the sun. This is why it begins to get colder.
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