vernal equinox

1. One of two points at which the ecliptic intersects the celestial equator. At the vernal equinox, the sun is moving along the ecliptic in a northeasterly direction.

2. The moment at which the sun passes through this point on or about March 21, marking the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

vernal equinox

1. (Physical Geography) the time at which the sun crosses the plane of the equator towards the relevant hemisphere, making day and night of equal length. It occurs about March 21 in the N hemisphere (Sept 23 in the S hemisphere)

2. (Astronomy) astronomy the point, lying in the constellation Pisces, at which the sun's ecliptic intersects the celestial equator

3. (Astronomy) the time at which this occurs as the sun travels south to north (March 21)

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

e•qui•nox

(ˈi kwəˌnɒks, ˈɛk wə-)

n.

the time when the sun crosses the plane of the earth's equator, making night and day of approximately equal length all over the earth and occurring about March 21 (vernal equinox) and Sept. 22 (autumnal equinox).

[1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin equinoxium, for Latin aequinoctium=aequi- equi- + noct-, s. of nox night + -ium -ium¹]

ver·nal equinox

(vûr′nəl)

The moment of the year when the sun crosses the celestial equator while moving from south to north. It occurs on March 20 or 21, marking the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Compare autumnal equinox.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	vernal equinox - March 21 March equinox, spring equinox Mar, March - the month following February and preceding April equinox - either of two times of the year when the sun crosses the plane of the earth's equator and day and night are of equal length Noruz, Nowrooz, Nowruz - (Persian) the new year holiday in Iran and Azerbaijan and Afghanistan and Pakistan and parts of India and among the Kurds; comes at the vernal equinox spring, springtime - the season of growth; "the emerging buds were a sure sign of spring"; "he will hold office until the spring of next year" autumnal equinox, fall equinox, September equinox - September 22
	2.	vernal equinox - (astronomy) the equinoctial point that lies in the constellation of Pisces astronomy, uranology - the branch of physics that studies celestial bodies and the universe as a whole equinoctial point, equinox - (astronomy) either of the two celestial points at which the celestial equator intersects the ecliptic

Translations

equinozio di primavera

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Every fourth year, at the vernal equinox, there is a representative council of the whole nation, which meets in a plain about twenty miles from our house, and continues about five or six days.

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Finding my first seed did not grow, which I easily imagined was by the drought, I sought for a moister piece of ground to make another trial in, and I dug up a piece of ground near my new bower, and sowed the rest of my seed in February, a little before the vernal equinox; and this having the rainy months of March and April to water it, sprung up very pleasantly, and yielded a very good crop; but having part of the seed left only, and not daring to sow all that I had, I had but a small quantity at last, my whole crop not amounting to above half a peck of each kind.

View in context

The Vernal Equinox occurs when the sun moves north across the celestial equator.

Spring FACTS and figures as we celebrate the Vernal Equinox 2019; The Vernal Equinox takes places on March 20 this year, meaning you can wave goodbye to winter

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), vernal equinox is an astronomical event that marks the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere and autumn in the southern hemisphere.

Days begin to be longer as PH approach dry season after vernal equinox

The ancient Persians celebrated their new year at the time of the vernal equinox by painting eggs.

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The Vernal Equinox is another way of marking the beginning of the season.

When is the first day of spring and when will the weather start to get warmer? There are two theories for when spring begins, but it should officially be in swing this week; There are two theories for when spring begins, but it should officially be in swing this week

Astronomically, the vernal equinox marks the time that the sun crosses the Earth's equator from south to north and is one of only two times in the year when day and night are equal in length.

GREEN SCENE

The Vernal Equinox is the start of spring, when day and night are roughly equal.

The Longest Day Of The Year

Naw-Ruz, or New Day, is celebrated at the vernal equinox, on the first day of spring.

Persian Sunday schoolkids mark Naw-Ruz, the beginning of spring

The other annual equinox, called vernal equinox, occurs in March and signals the start of spring in the northern hemisphere and of autumn in the southern hemisphere.

Brewing storm to enter PH this weekend

The first day of spring is called the vernal equinox.

Are you ready to spring into action?