We Have Solstices & Equinoxes Because Of The Earth’s Tilt Although there are no current Christian holidays that fall on the Autumnal Equinox, it’s believed that Michaelmas was originally created in order to divert pagans from their celebrations at this time of the year. In various neopagan religions, it is the day of Mabon that encourages participants to reap what they sow – in not only a literal sense but also a figurative sense as well. While she’s in the land of the dead, her mother Demeter refuses to let the plants grow – which is the Ancient Greek explanation for the winter season. In Greek mythology, it’s linked to Persephone returning to the underworld to become the wife of Hades, god of the dead. For many religions, the Autumnal Equinox also has spiritual significance. It’s a day that’s usually observed with some type of fall festival or gathering. The Autumnal Equinox has historically, and is currently, an important holiday for agriculturally based communities. It marks the end of the astronomical summer in the northern hemisphere and marks the start of the astronomical spring in the Southern Hemisphere.Īlthough the Autumnal Equinox begins in September in the northern hemisphere, it actually begins in March in the Southern Hemisphere and it’s known as the March Equinox in that part of the world. The sun viewed from the equator on the equinox rises due east and sets due west. This can occur anytime between September 21st and September 24th due to the differences inherent between the tropical year and the calendar year. The Autumnal Equinox, also known as the September Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, begins on the day when the sun appears to cross the celestial equator and heads southward.
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