Spring in the northern hemisphere officially starts at 7:21 ET on Sunday, March 20, 2011 - the vernal equinox or spring equinox. However, do not be fooled by the old rumor that on the spring equinox the day length is exactly equal to the length of the night.
The cold, snowy winter 2010-2011 is fading into history with Sunday evening's vernal equinox beginning astrological spring.
The 90-day outlook for spring calls for near normal temperatures and precipitation. The forecast for the start of the first week of spring is warm and inviting.
Winter had its moments, but as the season gave way to buttercups and blooming forsythia, it fades into a statistical abstract that didn't set records, but made itself felt in slippery driving, lost school days and several opportunities to build snowmen.
Astronomical spring – the spring or vernal equinox – occurs at 4:21 p.m. in California. Meteorologist Richard Castro of the National Weather Service told the Chicago Tribune the event signifies that the sun crosses the celestial equator on its way north.
On the evening of March 20th, the Spring Equinox has come to earth. Now the term and concept of spring equinox might seem foreign to many kids, but here are five basic facts about the Spring Equinox.
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The equinox happens twice a year and occurs when the Earth’s axis is centered with the Sun, the sun being on the same plane as the Earth’s equator.
The meaning of the word Equinox is from the Latin words for equal and night, since night and day have about the same length. However, the day is actually a bit longer.
The spring equinox is also called the “vernal equinox” with vernal coming from the Latin word meaning spring.
According to the rules of the calendar, the first day of spring almost always occurs on March 20th or 21st.
This year the Spring Equinox started at 7:21pm Easter Time on Sunday March 20th, 2011
Happy Ostara!
Ostara is the Pagan holiday that falls on the spring equinox. It is a time to celebrate the return of the light, the beginning of the growing season and the balance between light and dark.
For children, many Ostara customs look familiar to those used to celebrating Easter. There is no Easter Bunny, but kids (and adults) celebrate Ostara by dyeing eggs and having egg hunts. Ostara is also a time to plant seeds and set intentions for new beginnings. Children sometimes dress up as bunnies, and make egg crafts like eggshell candles.
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