vernal equinox: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

No, it usually falls on March 20th or 21st in the Northern Hemisphere, varying due to the leap year cycle and the time it takes Earth to orbit the sun.

An equinox (vernal or autumnal) occurs when the sun is directly above the equator, resulting in nearly equal day and night. A solstice (summer or winter) occurs when the sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky, resulting in the longest or shortest day.

Astronomically, yes—it's the same global moment. Seasonally, it marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere but the beginning of autumn in the Southern Hemisphere (where it is called the autumnal equinox).

Not quite. Due to atmospheric refraction and the definition of sunrise/sunset, most locations on Earth experience a day slightly longer than 12 hours on the equinox. The date of 'equal day and night' often occurs a few days before the vernal equinox.

The moment in spring when the sun crosses the celestial equator, making day and night approximately equal in length everywhere on Earth.

Vernal equinox is usually formal, academic, technical, literary in register.

Vernal equinox: in British English it is pronounced /ˌvɜːnəl ˈekwɪnɒks/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌvɜːrnəl ˈekwɪnɑːks/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.