Equinox

This past Thursday marked the vernal equinox, signaling the official start of Spring. While the media often claims that "day and night are equal" on this day, a closer look at sunrise and sunset times reveals that daylight actually lasts a few minutes longer. The reason? Atmospheric refraction, which bends the sun’s image upward. But even so, it’s a close enough approximation. Tune in to hear more about the rhythms of our planet.

Tune in to hear about an upcoming vernal equinox! Many civilizations have made vernal equinoxes into special or even sacred days. Learn how the sun is shifting into new constellations, and what most people get wrong.

Tune in to hear about an upcoming vernal equinox! Many civilizations have made vernal equinoxes into special or even sacred days. Learn how the sun is shifting into new constellations, and what most people get wrong.

The Regional Food Bank is preparing for its largest Thanksgiving meal service yet.

Across the world, people of all income levels, religions, and sexual orientation experience abuse from partners, children, and parents. And it can be hard to leave these situations, as it can jeopardize victims’ safety and leave them financially vulnerable. I spoke with Melissa Kovelman, a counselor for Equinox, a domestic violence outreach service, about how domestic violence can be spotted and what victims can do to safely help themselves out of dangerous situations.

Equinoxes are milestone events on other planets too, but not on Mercury, which is the only planet that moves through space straight up and down, with no axial tilt. Since amount of tilt determines the severity of seasons, Mercury has none, period. It's the only world with a permanent equinox.

Capital Region residents have been taking part in the annual Equinox Thanksgiving Day Community Dinner since 1969. But Equinox will not be delivering holiday meals this year — so others are stepping in to fill the void.

The autumnal equinox is here. It means Earth is now angled sideways to the sun. Since neither pole is tipped toward the Sun, days and nights should be equal. The main equinox event, other than declaring it the start of fall, is that the sun rises exactly in the east and sets precisely in the west, not southeast or northwest or anything else. The Sun is now more accurate than any compass.

The vernal equinox is here! The equinox is when every place on earth rotates perpendicularly into our planet's day/night line, the terminator. As a result, the sun rises precisely due east and sets exactly in the west. So it's the easiest day to find the exact cardinal compass directions from your home, or out any window.

Get ready for the spring equinox! Tune in to hear how sunlight grows at its maximum possible rate this week and what an equinox actually is.