When is the first day of fall? What to know about the 2023 autumn equinox.
The start of the fall season brings many things. From apple picking to drinking pumpkin spice lattes.
The autumn equinox, however, is what officially marks the start of fall. The word "equinox" comes from the Latin words "aequus" and "nox," which mean to "equal or even" and "night," respectively.
So, when is the autumn equinox in 2023? Here is what you need to know.
When is the first day of fall?
The first day of fall is Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023.
The autumnal equinox marks the end of summer. But is it the start of fall or autumn?
What are the fall months?
In the Northern Hemisphere, the fall months are September, October and November. The winter solstice will be Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023, making December the start of the winter months.
What is leaf peeping? You probably do it but just don't realize it. We explain.
The autumn equinox, explained
According to the National Weather Service, there are two times in a year when the Earth's axis is tilted to a point where there is "nearly equal amount of daylight and darkness at all latitudes." These times are when the equinox occurs.
There are two equinoxes: The autumnal equinox marks the start of fall, while the vernal equinox marks the start of spring.
The nearly equal hours of daylight and darkness happen because of the refraction of sunlight or the bending of light's rays. This refraction causes the sun to appear above the horizon when it is actually below the horizon.
During the autumnal equinox, also referred to as the "September equinox," the sun crosses the celestial equator going from north to south. After the autumnal equinox, the days begin to get shorter as the winter solstice gets closer.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When does fall start? This is the date when 2023 autumn equinox falls.
