Equinox- this is a certain period in the cycle of movement of our planet in solar system, in which the Sun passes directly above the Earth's equator. This phenomenon can be observed around September 22 and March 20. The exact dates of this phenomenon are adjusted to reflect time zones. This means that due to the time difference, the day of the equinox may occur a day earlier by Far East than, for example, in Europe or America.
What is EQUINOX - meaning, definition in simple words.
In simple words, the day of the equinox is, as is already clear from the term itself, is a period when day and night last the same length of time. Although, in fact, this is not entirely true. For duration daylight hours influenced by many factors, among which is the position relative to the equator. Thus, a more precise definition would be: Equinox is the period when day and night last practically same period of time.
Equinox of the year.
As has already become clear from the first paragraph of this article, equinoxes occur twice a year and they are divided into:
- Autumn equinox (around September 22);
- Spring equinox (around March 20).
The exact days of the equinoxes in a year and how many days of the equinoxes can be found in this table:
The vernal equinox.
The spring equinox is the date when the sun is directly above the Earth's equator. During this period, it shifts from the southern to the northern hemisphere. It's the official end of winter in most of the northern hemisphere. In any hemisphere, spring is seen as the end of winter and the beginning of the most fertile period in the cycle of the year. Thus, the vernal equinox It has great importance for crops and businesses that depend on Agriculture or climate.
Many ancient cultures performed fertility rituals at or around this time period. Christian holiday Easter was no exception, and contains many traces of early pagan holidays associated with fertility. These are all kinds of bunnies, eggs and other celebration elements. Many people believe that an egg can only be balanced on its pointed end at the spring equinox, but this is a myth that may have its origins in pagan fertility rituals.
Autumn equinox.
By analogy with the spring equinox, the autumn equinox is a period that begins around September 22, when day and night are almost equal. Ancient cultures also had various rituals associated with this phenomenon. Typically, various rituals took place during this period, praising the gods and nature for a good and rich harvest.
How long does the equinox last?
As you can understand from the table above, there is no exact and constant value. For each year, this value changes depending on many factors. This means that the equinox can last from several hours to almost several days.
Categories: , // fromSolstice(also solstice) - an astronomical event, the moment of passage of the center of the Sun through the points of the ecliptic, most distant from the equator of the celestial sphere and called solstice points.
Equinox- an astronomical phenomenon when the center of the Sun, in its apparent movement along the ecliptic, crosses the celestial equator. When observing the Earth from space at the equinox, the terminator passes along the geographic poles of the Earth and is perpendicular to the Earth's equator.
These dates were among the most revered in the pre-Christian period. Solstice, rotation, equinox, solstice are the names of solar holidays, which are also called the four hypostases of the Slavic Dazhdbog, which is the Sun itself - the son of Svarog.
- Kolyada– winter solstice (December 21-22)
- Maslenitsa or Komoeditsy– vernal equinox (March 21-22)
- Kupailo (Kupala)– summer solstice (June 21-22)
- Radogoshch (Svetovit, Veresen, Tausen)– autumnal equinox (September 22-23)
Kolyada– winter solstice or the longest night of the year. During this period, the young sun Kolyada replaces the old sun Svetovit in his post. That is why the daylight hours begin to increase from this day on. Replaced by the church on Christmas Day.
Maslenitsa or Komoeditsy– the day of the vernal equinox (day and night are equal in time), farewell to winter, burning of the effigy of Madder, welcoming spring and the Slavic New Year. The date March 21-22 is also the beginning of astronomical spring. From this day on, the day becomes longer than the night. Yarilo-Sun replaces Kolyada and drives away Winter-Madder. Traditionally, this bracelet was celebrated for two whole weeks.
Kupaylo- day of the summer solstice. The longest day and shortest night of the year. The last day of Rusal Week or Rusalia. Kupala is one of the oldest holidays, which has kept many traditions and customs unchanged to this day, for example: the funeral of Yarila, who is replaced by God summer sun Bathed, collected medicinal herbs, searched for fern flowers, etc. Kupailo is also a great holiday, which is now replaced by the church on the birthday of John the Baptist.
Radogoshch(Svetovit, Veresen, Tausen) – day autumn equinox(day and night are equal in time). On this day, the Sun-Old Man Svetovit comes into his own. The night becomes longer than the day. It is both a solar holiday and a celebration of the end of the harvest. Replaced by the church for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Position of the sun on solstice days
The periods between solstices are the times when the sun moves either higher above the horizon or lower.
Astronomers note that the movement of the hot star is similar to a sine wave:
- after the winter solstice it rises higher every day
- after the summer - on the contrary, it drops lower
The angle created by the sun and the earth's horizon, in other words, the astronomical longitude of the hot star, is:
- 90° in June
- 270° in December
In astronomy, from the moment the Sun enters the zodiac sign of Taurus in June, summer begins, and winter begins in the sign of Sagittarius in December. A few days before and after the solstice, the hot celestial body “freezes” at one point at noon.
However, you won't see the sun directly overhead on the solstices.
If you are a resident of the northern hemisphere of the Earth, then:
- go 23.5° above the equator before the summer solstice to see the hot planet vertically above you,
- visit 23.5°S to see a similar phenomenon during the winter solstice.
Position of the sun at the equinoxes
The equinoxes represent a certain milestone when the sun moves from the northern to the southern hemisphere in the fall and vice versa in the spring. This is for the part of our planet that is located above the equator. These days the sun directs its rays in such a way that they evenly heat the entire part of the Earth facing it.
Another feature of these calendar dates– the day before and after, as well as during the equinox, the sun rises clearly in the east and sets in the west. Is it true, this phenomenon typical only for 23.5° north or south latitude. In other areas there is a slight shift to the north or south.
Equinoxes and solstices: magic
These 4 days of the year have maximum energy not only because of the change of times. The Slavs knew this very well and harmoniously structured their lives in such a way as to streamline and develop their relationships with nature.
A common feature during the celebrations of all solstices and equinoxes among our ancestors were mass celebrations.
The whole village gathered together:
- were carried out different games and fun
- there were round dances
- everyone ate
- praised the gods
- commemorated ancestors
Everything happened fun, easily and naturally.
- We still celebrate the summer solstice as Kupala. We are looking for the treasured fern flower in the hope of good luck and the fulfillment of our cherished dreams.
- On the autumn equinox, the ancestors held a harvest festival. Adults cleaned the house, yard, and fields. Children decorated their homes with bunches of rowan berries. It was believed that she would protect the house and its inhabitants from evil all year long.
The winter solstice, or the birth of Kolyada - the young sun, was celebrated on a special scale. There was a place here:
- fortune telling about the betrothed, marriage, weather next year, harvest
- caroling and dressing up as animals to scare away dark forces
- jumping over a fire to burn all resentment, envy and similar sins
Three days before and the same number after Kolyada had special power. Housewives put things in order in their heads and homes, and brought health and well-being into the life of the family. They watched the events of 12 days after Kolyada in order to understand what the coming year would bring for the family.
- The day of the spring equinox had special power. Nature was awakening from its winter sleep, a new year began for work on the land.
- At this time pancakes were being baked and it was Maslenitsa. But it lasted 2 weeks - one before, the second after the equinox.
- Housewives baked larks - small birds made from sweet dough.
- In the evening, everyone jumped over the fires to renew themselves for a new round of life. For example, if an unmarried girl jumped, then she will definitely become the mother of a hero.
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Dates and times of solstices and equinoxes in UTC-0 |
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Equinox |
Solstice |
Equinox |
Solstice |
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| day | time | day | time | day | time | day | time | |
| 2010 | 20 | 17:32 | 21 | 11:28 | 23 | 03:09 | 21 | 23:38 |
| 2011 | 20 | 23:21 | 21 | 17:16 | 23 | 09:04 | 22 | 05:30 |
| 2012 | 20 | 05:14 | 20 | 23:09 | 22 | 14:49 | 21 | 11:12 |
| 2013 | 20 | 11:02 | 21 | 05:04 | 22 | 20:44 | 21 | 17:11 |
| 2014 | 20 | 16:57 | 21 | 10:51 | 23 | 02:29 | 21 | 23:03 |
| 2015 | 20 | 22:45 | 21 | 16:38 | 23 | 08:20 | 22 | 04:48 |
| 2016 | 20 | 04:30 | 20 | 22:34 | 22 | 14:21 | 21 | 10:44 |
| 2017 | 20 | 10:28 | 21 | 04:24 | 22 | 20:02 | 21 | 16:28 |
| 2018 | 20 | 16:15 | 21 | 10:07 | 23 | 01:54 | 21 | 22:23 |
| 2019 | 20 | 21:58 | 21 | 15:54 | 23 | 07:50 | 22 | 04:19 |
| 2020 | 20 | 03:50 | 20 | 21:44 | 22 | 13:31 | 21 | 10:02 |
| 2021 | 20 | 09:37:27 | 21 | 03:32:08 | 22 | 19:21:03 | 21 | 15:59:16 |
| 2022 | 20 | 15:33:23 | 21 | 09:13:49 | 23 | 01:03:40 | 21 | 21:48:10 |
| 2023 | 20 | 21:24:24 | 21 | 14:57:47 | 23 | 06:49:56 | 22 | 03:27:19 |
| 2024 | 20 | 03:06:21 | 20 | 20:50:56 | 22 | 12:43:36 | 21 | 09:20:30 |
| 2025 | 20 | 09:01:25 | 21 | 02:42:11 | 22 | 18:19:16 | 21 | 15:03:01 |
The night from December 21 to 22 is special. Firstly, this will be the moment of the Winter Solstice (1:23 am on December 22, Moscow time). Secondly, the Moon will be in the full moon phase, its maximum light, and also in Taurus, the sign of its exaltation (Vedic horoscope).
Equinox Day 2018
The night from December 21 to 22 will be the longest in 2018 in the entire northern hemisphere. This phenomenon occurs because it is at this time that the tilt of the Earth’s axis of rotation relative to the Sun becomes greatest. In the calendar, this date is called the Winter Solstice. The exact date and time of the winter solstice in 2018: Greenwich time - December 21 at 22 hours 23 minutes GMT Kiev time - December 22 at 00 hours 23 minutes Moscow time - December 22 at 01 hours 23 minutes December 21 and 22 are the most short days years, and between them is the longest night of the year. In the Southern Hemisphere, astronomical summer will begin at the winter solstice. In astrology, the winter solstice is the moment the Sun passes into the constellation Capricorn and the beginning of astronomical winter, which will last until the spring equinox.
WHY IS THIS DAY IMPORTANT?
Firstly, we have 4 important points in the wheel of the year - the spring and autumn equinox, summer and winter solstices. They divide the solar year into a cross - a key symbol of the cyclical nature of the universe and the Sun (Slavic and Vedic swastika).
Each of these 4 stages has its own qualities, and on the day of the Winter Solstice, we in the northern hemisphere experience the longest, darkest night, after which the day begins to grow.
Secondly, in 2018 this day coincides with the full moon - a special phase of the moon during which we receive the maximum light from the night luminary. This day is very important for practice and work with intention; rituals are performed on it.
START OF A NEW CYCLE
The Winter Solstice is the moment of the rebirth of the Sun, when there will be more and more of its light. Within our human cycle, this corresponds to spiritual ascent, a movement from darkness to light. The full moon enhances the energies of this day, further charging the practices and intentions that are worth doing on this day.
Such an important day in the annual cycle should not be overlooked. Our ancestors always carried out holiday rituals on days like these, which demonstrated their deep understanding of the laws of the universe, connection with the cycles of nature, and life in harmony with the surrounding world and space. Recommended Practices:
1. Cleansing. To enter the new, you need to leave the old. Therefore, the day before it will be very good to do cleansing practices:
- House cleaning, getting rid of old things.
- Cleansing the body. Any method of cleansing or unloading the body that is accessible and indicated for your health.
- Paying off debts, completing “defects”. Sit down and make a list of what you owe someone, or once promised, or maybe promised yourself, started and didn’t finish. You can complete some things already before December 22, and some in the near future to make room for a new cycle.
- Forgiveness and letting go of grievances. Practice forgiveness. Remember and write down situations, people with whom you have grievances, write words of forgiveness, speak out loud, release them from the emotional field with gratitude. Burn this piece of paper. The book “Radical Forgiveness” by K. Tipping will help you.
Our ancestors knew and respected the laws of nature, so they celebrated events such as the winter solstice.
Despite the enormous progress achieved, even modern technologies unable to break the magic of natural cycles: lunar day will not change places, and summer will not come after autumn.
In 2018, the winter solstice will occur on December 22 at 01:23 am Moscow time. On this day the Sun reaches its lowest position. Then, at the end of December and January, daylight hours become longer.
In astrology, on this day the Sun moves from the zodiac sign Sagittarius to the sign Capricorn, and astrological winter begins.
Note that on the night of December 21-22, astronomical winter begins. This is because the height of the sun in the sky is the lowest on this day. In the old days, our ancestors celebrated this day at night, before sunrise. Various rituals and conspiracies were performed.
The traditions of many peoples meant celebrating the winter solstice as the birth of a new Sun.
It is worth saying that our ancestors tried to prepare their homes for the Winter Solstice: general cleaning was carried out, and the outside of the rooms and houses was decorated with fir branches.
The winter solstice was considered New Year among the Slavs. The celebration was called in honor of Kolyada, the god of the new Sun.
As for the longest day, it is observed on June 22, then gradually declines. At the end of June, the days begin to gradually decrease, and by December they will reach their minimum. In the northernmost cities there will even be a polar night.
In turn, the day of the autumnal equinox occurs from September 21 to 23, when the day is the same length as the night. After this day, the night begins to increase and the day decreases.
According to universal time, the vernal equinox occurs on March 22, when the Sun passes from southern hemisphere to the north. This is the period when day is almost equal to night.
After a long and cold winter, every person dreams of the imminent arrival of the warm season. The vernal equinox 2018 will be the time when the Sun moves to the northern hemisphere and astronomical spring begins.
When does this day come?
The equinox occurs when the length of day and night becomes equal. This moment is observed when the Sun crosses the equator of the sky. The spring equinoxes are 365.24 solar days apart from each other, so they occur at different times. Now astronomers have learned to accurately determine the day of the equinox several years in advance. For those who are interested in what date this event will occur in 2018, we can already answer with certainty. So, the sun's rays will hit the earth's equator vertically on 03/20/18.
A little history
In the history of mankind, four key dates can be noted, in accordance with which the life of ancient people was built. In 2018 they will look like this:
| Day of spring equinox | 16:15 | 20.03.18 |
| Summer Solstice Day | 10:07 | 21.06.18 |
| Autumn equinox day | 1:54 | 23.09.18 |
| Winter solstice | 22:23 | 21.12.18 |
All these points are sacred. It is after these days that dramatic changes in nature occur. The most revered date among our ancestors was still the day of the vernal equinox. They were waiting for him with the greatest impatience. He personified the victory of light and gave hope for the future. It is not surprising that many peoples perceive this day as a real holiday. The darkness begins to recede and the days lengthen. In ancient times, the equinox was associated with the onset of spring. For some peoples, this day heralded the arrival of the New Year. After all, after it a new period began, when everything in nature and human life began to be renewed.
As for our people, in the Slavic world, Komoeditsa or Maslenitsa was celebrated on the equinox. On this day it was customary to say goodbye to winter.
How to celebrate
Transition to new life cycle was celebrated with great enthusiasm among all peoples. People tried to leave all the bad things in the past and hoped that the new period would bring them victories and good luck. This primarily concerned the future harvest. This day was revered by almost all peoples of our planet. Europeans held numerous festivals and masquerades during this period.
In pre-Christian Rus', when people worshiped pagan gods, the equinox was considered almost the most important day of the year. He was greeted with unprecedented joy and hope. The holidays lasted several days and were called Maslenitsa Week. Each day was designated for certain rituals:
- On Monday, housewives baked fragrant pancakes and larks, symbolizing the arrival of spring. The first pancake, according to custom, was intended for Who - the Bear God. It was believed that he protected men during hunting. On the same day, in Russian villages they built a stuffed animal from straw and old things, impaled it and carried it on a sleigh throughout the area.
- On Tuesday there was a viewing party. Early in the morning, the guys invited the girls to ride a sleigh, and in the evening the matchmakers went to the houses of the future brides to discuss the details of the upcoming wedding.
- On Wednesday, mothers-in-law invited their sons-in-law over for pancakes, showing them how much they respected them. On Thursday, folk festivals were held in all Russian villages with noisy, exciting games and fairs, where one could taste pancakes with with different fillings and enjoy ancient drinks. Young people danced in circles and sang songs. The bravest ones took part in fist fights and jumped over the fire. The day ended with the capture of the “snow city”. The purpose of all the events of this day was to throw out the negative energy that had accumulated over the winter.
- On other days, older people performed all sorts of rituals aimed at obtaining a rich harvest and strengthening family ties (mother-in-law parties, sister-in-law gatherings, etc.)
- On Sunday it was customary to ask each other for forgiveness. People also went to the bathhouse, trying to cleanse themselves of accumulated dirt, put on new and clean clothes and put an end to the past. Old and dilapidated things had to be burned these days. The main event of this holiday, of course, is the burning of a straw effigy - a symbol of winter. Previously, the ashes from the scarecrow were scattered across the fields in the hope of getting a good harvest.
Currently, many traditions associated with the equinox have been lost. However, some Russian cities still hold fairs where you can sample pies, pancakes and other baked goods. Performances by folk groups and master classes on various folk crafts are organized in the main squares. For this holiday, cafes and restaurants are adjusting their menus to include folk dishes.
Signs
In the old days, when making baked goods, housewives put various household items into the baked goods. So, if household members found in the lark, for example:
- a button, this meant a quick new thing;
- coin - wealth;
- flower - foreshadowed beauty for the owner;
- berry - was for health.
If a woman was pregnant, then during Maslenitsa one could easily find out the gender of the unborn baby. If a man took the first pancake, then an heir would be born, if a woman, then the future mistress.
According to Maslenitsa, the weather for the next forty days was easily predicted. If there was a holiday warm weather, then over the next month it was possible to forget about the frosts and prepare for work on the ground.
In ancient times, people were sure that on the equinox the heavens opened and their deepest desires were fulfilled. On this day it was customary to ask God for the most important things:
- about the future harvest;
- about the health and well-being of the whole family.
On this holiday it was forbidden to be sad. It was believed that on the day of the equinox everything could materialize, so crying and bad thoughts were prohibited. Joy and fun were a guarantee of good spirits for the whole year.
The equinox, that is, the time when the length of day and night are equal, occurs twice a year - in spring and autumn. Changing times in modern world are determined by the calendar, and in ancient times these days were considered the change of seasons.
Scientists consider the vernal equinox to be the astronomical beginning of spring, which lasts three months until the summer solstice - in 2019 it falls on June 21.
Therefore, since ancient times, people have considered the day of the spring equinox a long-awaited and mystical event.
When day equals night
The spring equinox arrives when the Sun moves from the southern hemisphere of the celestial sphere to the northern. At this time, the Earth, moving in its orbit, will cover a quarter of the year's journey. The equal duration of light and dark time of day is explained by the fact that the two hemispheres will be illuminated exactly half by the luminary.
The seasons of the hemispheres change from the day of the spring equinox. From this time on, astronomical spring begins in the northern hemisphere of the Earth, and astronomical autumn begins in the southern hemisphere. And this continues until the summer solstice.
Six months later, when the Sun, having continued its movement, moves from the southern hemisphere to the northern, the equinox will occur again, but the Sun at this time is on the opposite side of the orbit.
The date of the vernal equinox is historically considered to be March 21. At the First Ecumenical Council in 325, it was on this day that it was decided general rule by definition of the day of Easter celebration.
According to the rule, Christians celebrate the Bright Resurrection of Christ on the first Sunday after the spring full moon, but not earlier spring day equinox.
The spring equinox falls on different dates every year, since it does not have a fixed day or hour and shifts by almost six hours every year. Due to the fact that the astronomical year differs from the calendar year, the vernal equinox may fall from March 19 to March 21.
In leap years, the earliest dates of the equinoxes are observed, and the latest are observed in the years that precede the leap years. During a leap year, time is adjusted and the equinox returns to its original date.
Traditions and customs
Since ancient times, many peoples of the world have considered the day of the vernal equinox a great holiday - magical and ritual. Spring festivals in ancient and medieval times were celebrated with joy and rituals invoking the fertility of the earth and the well-being of the people.
The Great Sphinx was built by the ancient Egyptians so that during the spring equinox it pointed directly at the rising sun.
Many peoples have kept this holiday in their calendar to this day. The holiday of Navruz, which in Farsi means “new day,” has its roots in the tradition of the ancient farmers of Central Asia and the Middle East.
For many peoples who profess Islam, the holiday has become an integral part of their culture - the day of the equinox is celebrated as a national holiday by the Kyrgyz, Kazakhs, Tajiks, Tatars, Uzbeks, Bashkirs and many others.
On the day of the vernal equinox is celebrated New Year In many eastern countries, including in Afghanistan and Iran.
Among the Germans and Celts, the vernal equinox was associated with the rebirth of spring and indicated the beginning of the agricultural season. Housewives, in order to please the goddess Ostara (one of the most “ancient” goddesses, who was worshiped at the end of the 2nd millennium BC) and to welcome spring in a special way, painted eggs and baked wheat buns.
The Slavic holiday Komoeditsa-Maslenitsa is also timed to coincide with the spring equinox - on this day people said goodbye to winter and welcomed spring, which embodies the rebirth of nature. In the old days, people believed that the more fun the holiday was, the more generous nature would be to them.
The day of the spring equinox in Rus' was called “Magpies” because at that time many birds flew in, namely 40, and the lark, which returned first, was considered a symbol of the holiday.
On this day old custom They baked cookies in the shape of a bird and gave them from the whole village to the one who saw the lark first. Then the remaining sweets were distributed to the children so that they could invite the larks, who, according to legend, would bring spring with them.
In many countries this day is magical, as it is the only one of the year when spring meets spring. Usually at this time they tell fortunes and solemnly burn an effigy of winter, welcoming the long-awaited spring.
Signs
On the day of the spring equinox, according to signs, they monitor the weather, and if it is warm on this day, then there will be no cold or frost until summer.
The day of the spring equinox is best spent with your family or with a loved one - on this day you cannot quarrel, get upset, or sort things out with loved ones.
In order to spend the whole next year without worries and not think about bad things, the day of spring balance should be celebrated cheerfully. People believe that a wish made on this day will definitely come true.
On the day of the spring equinox, they tell fortunes about love - they tell fortunes using Tarot cards, classical cards, runes, and oracles. And in order to get an accurate answer, at the moment of fortune telling you should concentrate and ask a specific question.
Since the holiday was preceded by Maslenitsa (in 2017 from February 20 to 26 inclusive), many girls use similar fortune telling. So, for example, on this day they also baked pancakes, and if the first pancake was not lumpy, then they believed that they would get married this year.
On the spring equinox, girls guessed the gender of their first child; to do this, they kept track of who festive table take the first pancake. If it was a man, they were expecting a boy, and if it was a woman, they were expecting a girl.
People considered dreams on the spring equinox to be prophetic, so girls used to tell fortunes about their husbands before going to bed. To do this, two aces were placed under the pillow - a spades and a diamonds, as well as a ten of clubs, a ring, a key and a piece of pie, having previously wrapped all the items in a white scarf.
The future was judged the next morning, depending on what was dreamed about: a ring for an imminent wedding, a key or bread for success in work, a pie for luck and joy, a card of spades for trouble, a diamond card for wealth, club - for moving.
The spring equinox is a magical period, a time for the manifestation of feelings, and if you have long wanted to confess your feelings to your loved one, you need to do it on this day.
The material was prepared based on open sources
