By keely aouga
An equinox occurs when the Earth's axis is tilted neither towards nor away from the Sun, resulting in a near-equal amount of daylight and darkness at all latitudes.
The Vernal (spring) equinox marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.
Spring is a season that symbolizes rebirth. It's a time when the flowers bloom, the days get longer and the weather gets warmer.
Spring typically begins around Mar. 20 but it can be as late as Mar. 21. This year it falls on the former.
The loss of a few days due to leap years keeps the calendar date of the March equinox from drifting more than one day from Mar. 20 each year.
The dates of various cultural celebrations are also based on the date of the spring equinox.
The Jewish Passover usually falls on the first full moon after the Northern Hemisphere spring equinox. Occasionally, it falls on the second following full moon.
Similarly, the Christian Church typically marks the date of Easter as the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the March equinox.
The beginning of the Jalali Calendar, used in Iran and Afghanistan, is celebrated on the vernal equinox.
Next year, the spring equinox is expected to be on Mar. 20, 2026.