Autumnal Equinox began this morning................

 

Simultaneously, of  course, the Vernal (Spring) Equinox occurs in the southern hemisphere, as people begin their springtime season and as those people in the Northern Hemisphere begin their fall quarter of the year. Autumnul Equinox 2012 begins Saturday, September 22, marking the first official day of fall, at 10:40 a.m.ET this morning. the tilted earth revolves around to where the sun shines directly on the equator, and the hours of  daylight and dark are equal (12 hours each). The term "Equinox" has its origins in Latin, meaning 'equal night'. After today, we will have fewer hours of daylight and longer evenings. Traditionally peace and environmental activists call on people everywhere to celebrate the autumnal equinox by hugging a tree. Hugging trees not only relieves stress but also takes back the title "tree hugger" from those who would make it a term of ridicule and it also reminds people of the importance of trees to the environment.
 

Today is the first official day of autumn, which probably doesn't mean much to those living in the south where temperatures are still hitting the 90's. On the Autumnal Equinox, the length of day and night is nearly, but not exactly, equal, according to TimeandDate.com.

 

The Autumnal Equinox is also known as:Alban Elfed, Autumn Equinox, Fall Equinox, Cornucopia, Feast of Avilon, Festival of Dionysus, Harvest Home, Harvest Tide, Mabon, Night of the Hunter, Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, and the first day of autumn.

So there you have it - today is the first day of autumn and for those of us living in Northern parts of the United States. We have already started getting a chill in the air in the evenings, it is becoming dark earlier each evening and the leaves are changing colors and falling from the trees.

For those readers who live in the warmer climates you should try to visit the Northern states because the foliage is beautiful and it is the best time of the year here.

 

Go on out there and hug a tree today – I dare you!
peacesojourner

 

Autumnal Equinox Sunset

Equinox Sunset

I saw this photo this morning and thought I would share it with you. It was taken last week on the evening of the Equinox. How beautiful!

'Often inspiring or offering a moment for contemplation, a sunset is probably the most commonly photographed celestial event. But this uncommonly beautiful sunset picture was taken on a special day, the Equinox on September 22. Marking the astronomical change of seasons, on that day Earth dwellers experienced nearly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness (an equal night). Reflected in the calm waters of Lake Balaton with a motionless sailboat in silhouette, the Sun is setting due west and heading south across the celestial equator. In the background lies the Benedictine Archabbey of Tihany, Hungary.'

Credit & Copyright: Tamas Ladanyi (TWAN)

The Autumnal Equinox

Veteran peace and environmental activist Jerry Rubin is calling on people everywhere to celebrate this year's autumnal equinox by hugging a tree.

There will be a mass tree hug at noon Tuesday at the Children's Tree of Life in Palisades Park, near the Santa Monica Pier.

Rubin says hugging trees not only relieves stress but also takes back the title "tree hugger" from those who would make it a term of ridicule and it also reminds people of the importance of trees to the environment.

The exact date and time of the fall equinox, when the sun moves into the astrological sign of Libra, varies from year to year.

When and why the autumnal equinox happens:

The seasons of the year are caused by the 23.5º tilt of the earth's axis. Because the earth is rotating like a top or gyroscope, it points in a fixed direction continuously -- towards a point in space near the North Star. But the earth is also revolving around the sun. During half of the year, the southern hemisphere is more exposed to the sun than is the northern hemisphere. During the rest of the year, the reverse is true. The halfway points in the year are called the equinoxes. It is time of the year when the sun rises exactly in the east, travels through the sky for 12 hours, and sets exactly in the west. Everywhere on earth experiences close to 12 hours of daylight, and 12 hours of nighttime.

The Autumnal Equinox is also known as:

Alban Elfed, Autumn Equinox, Fall Equinox, Cornucopia, Feast of Avilon, Festival of Dionysus, Harvest Home, Harvest Tide, Mabon, Night of the Hunter, Second Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, and the first day of autumn.

So there you have it - today is the first day of autumn and for those of us living in Northern parts of the United States it also signals the time that the leaves start to change color and a gradual change in temperature.

We have already started getting a chill in the air in the evenings, it is becoming dark earlier each evening and the leaves are falling from the trees.

For those readers who live in the warmer climates you should try to visit the Northern states because the foliage is beautiful and it is the best time of the year here.

Go on out there and hug a tree today – I dare you!