Today is the autumnal equinox, or the official start of Fall. I like to think of it as the Universe giving all of us here in the Northern Hemisphere a pat on the arm and a kind word to prepare us for that whole Winter thing.
What is It saying? When it comes to the grand workings of the Universe it’s always difficult to be sure, but I imagine the conversation goes something like this:
“Now now, Winter’s still a ways off and hey, you had a good Summer, right?”
(inarticulate mumblings about sunburn and too many mosquito bites)
“Well, not to worry. We know Winter is hard so We try to ease you into it with the likes of apple pie and hot cider.”
(sniffles, with a muffled acknowledgement that pie is really quite nice)
“And remember how much you liked that new recipe for spicy beef stew? Pull yourself together, dear, it will be fine.”
For those who prefer a slightly more technical explanation of the experience on which we are all about to embark, a few more details…
Solstice: occurs when the Sun is the farthest away from the celestial equator, or the imaginary line above the Earth’s equator. This happens twice a year, around June 21st (when it reaches the northernmost point) and December 21st (when it reaches the southernmost point).
Equinox: marks the time when the Sun crosses the celestial equator. Day and night are (close to) equal length. This happens twice a year, around March 20th (vernal) and September 22st (autumnal).
Would you like to know more? Check out Time & Date or Royal Museums Greenwich or EarthSky for additional information, helpful diagrams and fun facts (like Chichen Itza’s Snake of Light).
I do love pie and cider and crisp autumn days and bright red leaves. Today I’m also grateful that marking such astronomical events no longer requires human sacrifice, for the word “phenology,” and for the reminder that in spite of everything, we all see the same sky.
J.R. Johnson 
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