The autumn equinox is almost upon us, and it marks the shift towards shorter days, longer nights and cooler temperatures.
It’s the official end of summer for another year, at least according to the astronomical calendar.
The meteorological calendar chunks the year into four three-month periods for each season, meaning that we’ve already been in autumn since 1 September according to that measure.
There’s also a persistent myth which says that the equinox is the only time of year you’ll be able to stand an egg up on its pointy end. Suffice it to say, that’s not supported by any science – or, indeed, by any eggs.
But what is the autumn equinox, and when is it? Here’s everything you need to know.
What is the autumn equinox?
There are two equinoxes each year. They happen when the northern and southern hemispheres get the same amount of daylight.
Because of the 23.5 degree tilt in the Earth’s axis, for half of the year the North Pole gets more sunlight than the South Pole, and for the other half of the year it’s vice versa.
From our perspective in the northern hemisphere, the autumn equinox is when the nights start to draw in.
When is the autumn equinox?
This year’s autumn equinox is on Wednesday 22 September, the earliest date on which autumn could fall according to the astronomical calendar. This marks, as the name suggests, the astronomical beginning of autumn.
Astronomical autumn lasts until 21 December 2021, when the winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year. After that, the days start to get longer until the summer solstice in June.
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