Fall Equinox

The official changing of the seasons seemed like a great time to restart my phenology writing!

The fall equinox is when we have roughly the same amount of daylight and nighttime each day - or about 12 hours of each. After today, the days get shorter as the tilt of the Earth determines how the sun’s rays are hitting our location. This is what causes our seasons, and we are halfway between our two extremes - summer and winter.

There are many places around the world where ancient cultures have built monuments to celebrate this celestial event. Machu Picchu, Chichen Itza, Stonehenge, and many more, have rock structures that cast a specific shadow only on the spring and fall equinoxes.

At our house, we try to honor this changing of seasons by celebrating the Harvest Moon - which often coincides with the equinox. You probably do too! Think apple picking, enjoying butternut squash soup or decorating with pumpkins and corn stalks.

Looking for a fall book to read with your family? Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak will have you reflecting on the ways that the natural world is changing and looking forward to how we are preparing for the coming winter months.