Autumnal Equinox Myths Busted

The Autumnal or Fall Equinox is now known as the first day of Fall in the northern hemisphere.  It is also the first day of spring in the southern hemisphere.  

As a planetarian, I hear all kinds of strange misconceptions about the Equinox.  So lets examine some and put them to rest.

1) You can balance an egg on its end only on the Equinox (either fall or spring).  This myth implies something special about Earth's rotation or it's tilt relative to the sun.  However, the rotation and tilt are no different on the equinox than on any other date (although the neither hemisphere is tilted toward or away from the sun as on the Solstices). You can actually balance an egg on its end any time you want (if you have a few hours and nothing better to do) due to the small imperfections on the surface of the shell.

2)  The sun is directly overhead at noon on the first day of fall.  This is true only if you live at the equator.  And the sun can only be overhead between 23.5 degrees north and 23.5 degrees south, the area known as the tropics.  If you live anywhere else the sun can never be directly overhead, ever.  

3)  The sun always rises in the East and sets in the West.  Actually  on the Equinox this is true.  But this is the only  time when the sun does rise due East and sets due West.  As we move from the fall Equinox toward winter, the sun will rise progressively further toward the Southeast and set closer to Southwest.  From the Spring Equinox to the Summer Solstice the sun rises in the Northeast and sets in the Northwest.  This is because of Earth's tilt.  

4) The days and nights are each 12 hours long.  Anyone living in the northern hemisphere knows that in the dead of winter the days are short and the nights are long.  In the summer the reverse is true, the days are long and the nights are short.  The days and nights are only of equal length on...you guessed it...the Equinox (which means equal night).

The Equinox is a great time to contemplate the nature of Earth as a planet, of its tilt, it's journey around the sun and our place in the scheme of things.  Our ancient ancestors observed the sun and its path very closely because it was the very basis of their lives.  We may not observe the sun as much as we used to, but it still continues its motion with us along for the ride.

Sunrise and Sunset data for the Sun on the Fall Equinox