vernal equinox

vernal equinox

n.

1. The point at which the ecliptic intersects the celestial equator, the sun having a northerly motion.

2. The moment at which the sun passes through the vernal equinox, about March 21, marking the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

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vernal equinox

n

1. (Earth Sciences / 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.

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

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

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vernal equinox  (vûrnl)

See under equinox.

Thesaurus

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