The autumnal equinox heralds the arrival of fall in the northern hemisphere, and it's just around the corner. Here's what to know.

The official first day of fall, otherwise known as the autumnal equinox, is this weekend in the Northern Hemisphere. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, it is one of only two days, the other being the vernal equinox, when the sun is directly above the Equator, essentially dividing night and day into equal portions.

In Japan, Autumnal Equinox Day is a national holiday. In Japanese, it’s known as Shubun no Hi (秋分の日), according to Coto Japanese Academy. The roots of the celebration are thought to go back to Shintoism and Buddhism.

The definition of the equinox as being a time of equal day and night is a convenient oversimplification. For one thing, it treats night as simply the time the sun i

Today marks the autumnal equinox, or the first day of astronomical fall. Have you ever wondered why it occurs on a different day and at a different time each year? Let’s break it down! Let’s start with the basics.

The first day of fall is on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in the Northern Hemisphere. These are just two different ways to carve up the year. Meteorological seasons are defined by the weather. They break down the year into three-month seasons based on annual temperature cycles.