The vernal equinox or the time when the length of the day equal to night, falls annually in March - and in 2018 this day will come on the 20th.
The equinox, that is, the time when the length of day and night are equal, occurs twice a year - in spring and autumn. Changing times in modern world are determined by the calendar, and in ancient times these days were considered the change of seasons. Scientists consider the spring equinox to be the astronomical beginning of spring, which lasts three months until the summer solstice - in 2018 it falls on June 21.
Therefore, since ancient times, people have considered the day of the spring equinox a long-awaited and mystical event.
When day equals night
The spring equinox arrives when the Sun moves from the southern hemisphere of the celestial sphere to the northern. At this time, the Earth, moving in its orbit, will cover a quarter of the year's journey. The equal duration of light and dark time of day is explained by the fact that the two hemispheres will be illuminated exactly half by the luminary.The seasons of the hemispheres change from the day of the spring equinox. From this time on, astronomical spring begins in the northern hemisphere of the Earth, and astronomical autumn begins in the southern hemisphere. And this continues until the summer solstice.
Six months later, when the Sun, having continued its movement, moves from the southern hemisphere to the northern, the equinox will occur again, but the Sun at this time is on the opposite side of the orbit.
The date of the vernal equinox is historically considered to be March 21. At the First Ecumenical Council in 325, it was on this day that it was decided general rule by definition of the day of Easter celebration.
According to the rule, Bright Resurrection Christians celebrate Christ on the first Sunday after the spring full moon, but not before spring day equinox.
The spring equinox falls on different dates every year, since it does not have a fixed day or hour and shifts by almost six hours every year. Due to the fact that the astronomical year differs from the calendar year, the vernal equinox may fall from March 19 to March 21.
In leap years, the earliest dates of the equinoxes are observed, and the latest are observed in the years that precede the leap years. During a leap year, time is adjusted and the equinox returns to its original date.
Traditions and customs
Many peoples of the world day of spring equinox Since ancient times, it was considered a great holiday - magical and ritual. Spring festivals in ancient and medieval times were celebrated with joy and rituals invoking the fertility of the earth and the well-being of the people.
The Great Sphinx was built by the ancient Egyptians so that during the spring equinox it pointed directly at the rising sun. Many peoples have kept this holiday in their calendar to this day. To the tradition of ancient farmers Central Asia And the Middle East has its roots in the holiday of Nowruz, which means “new day” in Farsi. For many peoples who profess Islam, the holiday has become an integral part of their culture - the day of the equinox is celebrated as a national holiday by the Kyrgyz, Kazakhs, Tajiks, Tatars, Uzbeks, Bashkirs and many others.
On the day of the vernal equinox is celebrated New Year in many eastern countries, including Afghanistan and Iran. Among the Germans and Celts, the vernal equinox was associated with the rebirth of spring and indicated the beginning of the agricultural season. Housewives, in order to please the goddess Ostara (one of the most “ancient” goddesses, who was worshiped at the end of the 2nd millennium BC) and to welcome spring in a special way, painted eggs and baked wheat buns. The Slavic holiday Komoeditsa-Maslenitsa is also timed to coincide with the spring equinox - on this day people said goodbye to winter and welcomed spring, which embodies the rebirth of nature. In the old days, people believed that the more fun the holiday was, the more generous nature would be to them.
The day of the spring equinox in Rus' was called “Magpies” because at that time many birds flew in, namely 40, and the lark, which returned first, was considered a symbol of the holiday. On this day, according to an ancient custom, cookies were baked in the shape of a bird and given from the entire village to the one who saw the lark first. Then the remaining sweets were distributed to the children so that they could invite the larks, who, according to legend, would bring spring with them. In many countries this day is magical, as it is the only one of the year when spring meets spring. Usually at this time they tell fortunes and solemnly burn an effigy of winter, welcoming the long-awaited spring.
Signs
On the day of the spring equinox, according to signs, they monitor the weather, and if it is warm on this day, then there will be no cold or frost until summer. The day of the spring equinox is best spent with your family or with a loved one - on this day you cannot quarrel, get upset, or sort things out with loved ones. In order to spend the whole next year without worries and not think about bad things, the day of spring balance should be celebrated cheerfully. People believe that a wish made on this day will definitely come true.
On the day of the spring equinox, they tell fortunes about love - they tell fortunes using Tarot cards, classical cards, runes, and oracles. And in order to get an accurate answer, at the moment of fortune telling you should concentrate and ask a specific question. Since the holiday was preceded by Maslenitsa (in 2017 from February 20 to 26 inclusive), many girls use similar fortune telling. So, for example, on this day they also baked pancakes, and if the first pancake was not lumpy, then they believed that they would get married this year. On the spring equinox, girls guessed the gender of their first child; to do this, they kept track of who festive table take the first pancake. If it was a man, they were expecting a boy, and if it was a woman, they were expecting a girl.
People considered dreams on the spring equinox to be prophetic, so girls used to tell fortunes about their husbands before going to bed. To do this, two aces – a spades and a diamonds – were placed under the pillow, as well as a ten of clubs, a ring, a key and a piece of pie, having previously wrapped all the items in a white scarf.
The future was judged the next morning, depending on what was dreamed about: a ring for an imminent wedding, a key or bread for success in work, a pie for luck and joy, a card of spades for trouble, a diamond card for wealth, club - for moving.
The spring equinox is a magical period, a time for the manifestation of feelings, and if you have long wanted to confess your feelings to your loved one, you need to do it on this day.
The equinox, that is, the time when the length of day and night are equal, occurs twice a year - in spring and autumn. The change of times in the modern world is determined by the calendar, but in ancient times these days were considered the change of seasons.
Scientists consider the vernal equinox to be the astronomical beginning of spring, which lasts three months until the summer solstice - in 2019 it falls on June 21.
Therefore, since ancient times, people have considered the day of the spring equinox a long-awaited and mystical event.
When day equals night
The spring equinox arrives when the Sun moves from the southern hemisphere of the celestial sphere to the northern. At this time, the Earth, moving in its orbit, will cover a quarter of the year's journey. The equal duration of light and dark time of day is explained by the fact that the two hemispheres will be illuminated exactly half by the luminary.
The seasons of the hemispheres change from the day of the spring equinox. From this time on, astronomical spring begins in the northern hemisphere of the Earth, and astronomical autumn begins in the southern hemisphere. And this continues until the summer solstice.
Six months later, when the Sun, having continued its movement, moves from the southern hemisphere to the northern, the equinox will occur again, but the Sun at this time is on the opposite side of the orbit.
The date of the vernal equinox is historically considered to be March 21. At the First Ecumenical Council in 325, it was on this day that a general rule was adopted to determine the day of Easter celebration.
According to the rule, Christians celebrate the Bright Resurrection of Christ on the first Sunday after the spring full moon, but not earlier than the spring equinox.
The spring equinox falls on different dates every year, since it does not have a fixed day or hour and shifts by almost six hours every year. Due to the fact that the astronomical year differs from the calendar year, the vernal equinox may fall from March 19 to March 21.
In leap years, the earliest dates of the equinoxes are observed, and the latest are observed in the years that precede the leap years. During a leap year, time is adjusted and the equinox returns to its original date.
Traditions and customs
Since ancient times, many peoples of the world have considered the day of the vernal equinox a great holiday - magical and ritual. Spring festivals in ancient and medieval times were celebrated with joy and rituals invoking the fertility of the earth and the well-being of the people.
The Great Sphinx was built by the ancient Egyptians so that during the spring equinox it pointed directly at the rising sun.
Many peoples have kept this holiday in their calendar to this day. The holiday of Navruz, which in Farsi means “new day,” has its roots in the tradition of the ancient farmers of Central Asia and the Middle East.
For many peoples who profess Islam, the holiday has become an integral part of their culture - the day of the equinox is celebrated as a national holiday by the Kyrgyz, Kazakhs, Tajiks, Tatars, Uzbeks, Bashkirs and many others.
On the day of the vernal equinox, the New Year is celebrated in many eastern countries, including Afghanistan and Iran.
Among the Germans and Celts, the vernal equinox was associated with the rebirth of spring and indicated the beginning of the agricultural season. Housewives, in order to please the goddess Ostara (one of the most “ancient” goddesses, who was worshiped at the end of the 2nd millennium BC) and to welcome spring in a special way, painted eggs and baked wheat buns.
The Slavic holiday Komoeditsa-Maslenitsa is also timed to coincide with the spring equinox - on this day people said goodbye to winter and welcomed spring, which embodies the rebirth of nature. In the old days, people believed that the more fun the holiday was, the more generous nature would be to them.
The day of the spring equinox in Rus' was called “Magpies” because at that time many birds flew in, namely 40, and the lark, which returned first, was considered a symbol of the holiday.
On this day, according to an ancient custom, cookies were baked in the shape of a bird and given from the entire village to the one who saw the lark first. Then the remaining sweets were distributed to the children so that they could invite the larks, who, according to legend, would bring spring with them.
In many countries this day is magical, as it is the only one of the year when spring meets spring. Usually at this time they tell fortunes and solemnly burn an effigy of winter, welcoming the long-awaited spring.
Signs
On the day of the spring equinox, according to signs, they monitor the weather, and if it is warm on this day, then there will be no cold or frost until summer.
The day of the spring equinox is best spent with your family or with a loved one - on this day you cannot quarrel, get upset, or sort things out with loved ones.
In order to spend the whole next year without worries and not think about bad things, the day of spring balance should be celebrated cheerfully. People believe that a wish made on this day will definitely come true.
On the day of the spring equinox, they tell fortunes about love - they tell fortunes using Tarot cards, classical cards, runes, and oracles. And in order to get an accurate answer, at the moment of fortune telling you should concentrate and ask a specific question.
Since the holiday was preceded by Maslenitsa (in 2017 from February 20 to 26 inclusive), many girls use similar fortune telling. So, for example, on this day they also baked pancakes, and if the first pancake was not lumpy, then they believed that they would get married this year.
On the spring equinox, girls told fortunes about the gender of their first child; to do this, they kept track of who would take the first pancake from the festive table. If it was a man, they were expecting a boy, and if it was a woman, they were expecting a girl.
People considered dreams on the spring equinox to be prophetic, so girls used to tell fortunes about their husbands before going to bed. To do this, two aces were placed under the pillow - a spades and a diamonds, as well as a ten of clubs, a ring, a key and a piece of pie, having previously wrapped all the items in a white scarf.
The future was judged the next morning, depending on what was dreamed about: a ring for an imminent wedding, a key or bread for success in work, a pie for luck and joy, a card of spades for trouble, a diamond card for wealth, club - for moving.
The spring equinox is a magical period, a time for the manifestation of feelings, and if you have long wanted to confess your feelings to your loved one, you need to do it on this day.
The material was prepared based on open sources
The day of the vernal equinox (Spring Equinox) is one of the most unique natural phenomena, the essence of which, in scientific language, boils down to the fact that “at the moment of the equinox, the center of the Sun in its visible movement along the ecliptic crosses the celestial equator.”
On this day, the Earth, rotating around its imaginary axis passing through the poles, while simultaneously moving around the Sun, is in such a position in relation to the luminary that the sun's rays, carrying thermal energy, fall vertically onto the equator. The sun moves from the southern hemisphere to the northern, and on these days in all countries the day is almost equal to night.
There are spring and autumn equinoxes. Universal time (in other time zones these dates may differ by a day) in the northern hemisphere spring equinox occurs 20th of March when the Sun moves from the southern hemisphere to the northern, and autumn equinox occurs September 22 or 23(in 2019 - September 23), when the Sun moves from the northern hemisphere to the southern. In the southern hemisphere, on the contrary, the March equinox is considered autumn, and the September equinox is considered spring.
The spring and autumn equinoxes are considered the astronomical beginning of the respective seasons. The period of time between two equinoxes of the same name is called the tropical year. This year is today and is accepted for measuring time. There are approximately 365.2422 sunny days in a tropical year. Because of this, “approximately” the equinox falls on different time days, each year moving forward by about 6 hours.
On the Day of the Vernal Equinox, the New Year begins for many peoples and nationalities of the Earth: Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan - almost all the countries of the Great Silk Road associate the beginning of the New Year with this natural phenomenon.
The ancient scientists of China, India, and Egypt knew very well about the days of the vernal equinox. In ancient times, the day of the spring equinox was considered a great holiday.
In religion in ancient times, the day of the vernal equinox was also given considerable importance. The date of Easter, which is celebrated every year at different times, was counted from the day of the vernal equinox as follows: March 21 - the first full moon - the first Sunday, which was considered a holiday.
Many peoples have preserved the day of the vernal equinox as a holiday in the calendar. For example, in Farsi it is called , which means “new day.” Rooted in the traditions of ancient farmers of the Middle East and Central Asia, the holiday has become an integral part of the culture of many peoples professing Islam.
In the CIS, the equinox day is celebrated as a national holiday by Tatars, Kazakhs, Bashkirs, Kyrgyz, Tajiks, Uzbeks and many other peoples. In a number of countries, Navruz has been declared a public holiday, and March 21 is a day off.
On this day, light and darkness are divided equally. In ancient times, when there were no calendars, spring was determined by the sun. It was believed that it was from this day that renewal in nature began: the first spring thunder, the swelling of buds on the trees, the lush sprouting of greenery.
The day of the vernal equinox was especially revered in the pagan faith. It was believed that on this day in the annual cycle, Spring, personifying the revival and rebirth of nature, replaces Winter.
When the Sun moves from the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere, the autumn equinox occurs.
When talking about equinox dates, we should distinguish between a date based on universal time and a date for a specific time zone:
if the equinox occurs before 12:00 universal time, in some countries located west of the prime meridian, this day may not yet have arrived and, according to local time, the arrival of the equinox will be considered 1 day earlier;
if the equinox occurs later than 12:00 universal time, then in some countries located east of the prime meridian, the next day may already have arrived and the date of the equinox will be 1 more.
According to the creators of the Gregorian calendar, the “official” date of the vernal equinox is March 21 (literally “12 days before the Kalends of April”), since this was the date of the vernal equinox during the Council of Nicaea.
Last time in this century, the vernal equinox fell on March 21 in 2007 and further in the 21st century it will fall on March 20 or even on March 19.
Every person after a long and cold winter dreams of imminent arrival warm season. The vernal equinox 2018 will be the time when the Sun moves to the northern hemisphere and astronomical spring begins.
When does this day come?
The equinox occurs when the length of day and night becomes equal. This moment is observed when the Sun crosses the equator of the sky. The spring equinoxes are 365.24 solar days apart from each other, so they occur at different times. Now astronomers have learned to accurately determine the day of the equinox several years in advance. For those who are interested in what date this event will occur in 2018, we can already answer with certainty. So, the sun's rays will hit the earth's equator vertically on 03/20/18.
A little history
In the history of mankind, four key dates can be noted, in accordance with which the life of ancient people was built. In 2018 they will look like this:
| Day of spring equinox | 16:15 | 20.03.18 |
| Summer Solstice Day | 10:07 | 21.06.18 |
| Autumn equinox day | 1:54 | 23.09.18 |
| Day winter solstice | 22:23 | 21.12.18 |
All these points are sacred. It is after these days that dramatic changes in nature occur. The most revered date among our ancestors was still the day of the vernal equinox. They were waiting for him with the greatest impatience. He personified the victory of light and gave hope for the future. It is not surprising that many peoples perceive this day as a real holiday. The darkness begins to recede and the days lengthen. In ancient times, the equinox was associated with the onset of spring. For some peoples, this day heralded the arrival of the New Year. After all, after it a new period began, when everything in nature and human life began to be renewed.
As for our people, in the Slavic world, Komoeditsa or Maslenitsa was celebrated on the equinox. On this day it was customary to say goodbye to winter.
How to celebrate
Transition to new life cycle was celebrated with great enthusiasm among all peoples. People tried to leave all the bad things in the past and hoped that the new period would bring them victories and good luck. This primarily concerned the future harvest. This day was revered by almost all peoples of our planet. Europeans held numerous festivals and masquerades during this period.
In pre-Christian Rus', when people worshiped pagan gods, the equinox was considered almost the most important day of the year. He was greeted with unprecedented joy and hope. The holidays lasted several days and were called Maslenitsa Week. Each day was designated for certain rituals:
- On Monday, housewives baked fragrant pancakes and larks, symbolizing the arrival of spring. The first pancake, according to custom, was intended for Who - the Bear God. It was believed that he protected men during hunting. On the same day, in Russian villages they built a stuffed animal from straw and old things, impaled it and carried it on a sleigh throughout the area.
- On Tuesday there was a viewing party. Early in the morning, the guys invited the girls to ride a sleigh, and in the evening the matchmakers went to the houses of the future brides to discuss the details of the upcoming wedding.
- On Wednesday, mothers-in-law invited their sons-in-law over for pancakes, showing them how much they respected them. On Thursday, folk festivities were held in all Russian villages with noisy, exciting games and fairs, where one could taste pancakes with different fillings and enjoy ancient drinks. Young people danced in circles and sang songs. The bravest ones took part in fist fights and jumped over the fire. The day ended with the capture of the “snow city”. The purpose of all the events of this day was to throw out the negative energy that had accumulated over the winter.
- On other days, older people performed all sorts of rituals aimed at obtaining a rich harvest and strengthening family ties (mother-in-law parties, sister-in-law gatherings, etc.)
- On Sunday it was customary to ask each other for forgiveness. People also went to the bathhouse, trying to cleanse themselves of accumulated dirt, put on new and clean clothes and put an end to the past. Old and dilapidated things had to be burned these days. The main event of this holiday, of course, is the burning of a straw effigy - a symbol of winter. Previously, the ashes from the scarecrow were scattered across the fields in the hope of getting a good harvest.
Currently, many traditions associated with the equinox have been lost. However, some Russian cities still hold fairs where you can sample pies, pancakes and other baked goods. Performances by folk groups and master classes on various folk crafts are organized in the main squares. For this holiday, cafes and restaurants are adjusting their menus, including dishes folk cuisine.
Signs
In the old days, when making baked goods, housewives put various household items into the baked goods. So, if household members found in the lark, for example:
- a button, this meant a quick new thing;
- coin - wealth;
- flower - foreshadowed beauty for the owner;
- berry - was for health.
If a woman was pregnant, then during Maslenitsa one could easily find out the gender of the unborn baby. If a man took the first pancake, then an heir would be born, if a woman, then the future mistress.
According to Maslenitsa, the weather for the next forty days was easily predicted. If the weather was warm for the holiday, then over the next month it was possible to forget about the frost and prepare for work on the land.
In ancient times, people were sure that on the equinox the heavens opened and their deepest desires were fulfilled. On this day it was customary to ask God for the most important things:
- about the future harvest;
- about the health and well-being of the whole family.
On this holiday it was forbidden to be sad. It was believed that on the day of the equinox everything could materialize, so crying and bad thoughts were prohibited. Joy and fun were a guarantee of good spirits for the whole year.
This year March 20 is the vernal equinox. At 13:29 Moscow time, the Sun crosses the celestial equator in its apparent movement along the ecliptic. The length of day and night is the same throughout the Earth and is equal to 12 hours. The celestial equator is a projection of the earth's equator onto the sphere of fixed stars infinitely distant from us.
The sun does not move along the celestial equator, otherwise day would be equal to night every day, says leading researcher at the Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexander Bagrov. - No, the Sun moves along the ecliptic, slightly inclined. When the star rises above the ecliptic, we have a long day. When it goes lower, the nights are long. And only at the moment when the Sun passes through the celestial equator does day equal night. That's why the event is called the equinox, in contrast to the summer and winter solstices.
During the last two events, as the astronomer explains, the Sun is as far as possible from the celestial equator. And then it turns out to be the longest day of the year - in the summer. Or the longest night is in winter.
Since ancient times, the spring equinox symbolizes the beginning of a new cycle in nature. And also - new beginnings in people's lives. From an astrological point of view, for example, the date of the vernal equinox is the day when the Sun enters 0 degrees Aries. This point is the beginning of the Zodiac. Once upon a time, the Sun actually rose against the background of the constellation Aries on the day of the spring equinox, but over time the equinox point has shifted, and now it is actually located in the constellation Pisces. Since the signs of the Zodiac are not associated with constellations, although they bear their names, the first sign of the Zodiac is still called Aries.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the vernal equinox marks the beginning of spring, and has long been celebrated as a time of rebirth, says Boris Manevich, candidate of historical sciences, teacher at Moscow State University. - This is a day of balance between day and night, light and darkness. In many cultures and religions, various holidays were dedicated to the spring equinox. On this day it was customary to perform all kinds of magical rituals. For example, after a number of preparations, plant seeds in a pot and make a wish. Then the seeds had to be cared for carefully and for a long time so that they would germinate and bear fruit. It was believed that with the appearance of fruits, wishes come true.
Magic is a creation of human consciousness. Simply put, it’s fiction,” astronomer Alexander Bagrov is skeptical. - We must understand that people have been engaged in agriculture or hunting. Both were closely related to the seasons. Either the birds began migrating, then it was time to plow the land - in general, time had to be counted somehow. Observations helped in this count. For example, on March 20, day is equal to night. Yep, there is a starting point! From now on, the day will be longer than the night, you need to get the plow, and after plowing, sow.
As the scientist explained, science even now, unfortunately, does not know everything. And in ancient times she knew even less. Therefore, people made all kinds of guesses, supported them with rituals, which filled the void of scientific knowledge.
Easily explainable events now - for example, the same spring equinox - were given a certain magical meaning, people believed their own inventions, Bagrov explained. - But we cannot repeat their mistakes.
