Fall Equinox - September 22, 2024

What is Fall Equinox? 

This particular phenomenon is occasionally used to symbolize the advent of the 'autumn' season while the sun proceeds towards the South from the Northern hemisphere. If pursued astrologically, the event can also be defined as when the sun is couched in the constellation of Virgo. 

Fall Equinox: All Quick Overview

• Time/Date: Northern Hemisphere, 7:03 AM 
• Category: Cultural 
• Where it’s Marked:United States of America 
• Why it’s Marked: According to astronomy, it coincides with the day when the sun advances southward across the celestial equator. As a result, the Earth receives around 12 hours of sunshine and 12 hours of darkness on the fall equinoxes.

History of Fall Equinox

According to mythology, the goddess Persephone descends to the dismal abyss around the September equinox and is reconciled with her husband, Hades. Zeus and his sister Demeter [Dêmêtêr], the middle child of Kronos and Rhea, were the parents of Persephone. The name Demeter signifies "Mother Earth." She was revered as the originator of all plants, including maize, and subsequently of agricultural production and development. Demeter ultimately ruled over nature, the seasons, and fertility.

The most significant myth associated with Demeter is about her nephew Haides, king of the underworld, raping her daughter Persephone. Persephone was given to Haides by Zeus, who did so secretly from Demeter; when she had been plucking flowers, the ground abruptly split in half, and Haides picked her up.

The world was barren and suffering from malnutrition. Only Hekate and Helios would detect those sobs. Zeus dispatched Hermes to the underworld to retrieve Persephone as the end of life on Earth was imminent. Haides emancipated her but presented her pomegranate, tying her to him for three months. Persephone's period in the afterlife and her resurrection synchronized the barren seasons of the year and springtime.

How to Celebrate Fall Equinox

Since the dawn of time, cultures have commemorated the fall equinox. The Earth's oscillations around the sun were monitored as they changed and now, let's check out how different civilizations had used this beautiful occasion for grand celebrations. 

• The equinoxes and solstices played a role in the construction of Stonehenge in England.
• The ancient stone edifice Intihuatana, which signifies "Hitching Post of the Sun," is located at Machu Picchu in Peru and is sometimes utilized as a solar observatory to chronicle the phases of the equinoxes. 
• The Mayans in Mexico developed the colossal 'Chichen Itza pyramid.'  On the equinoxes, it resembles as though a light snake is creeping through the treads of the pyramid.

Countries that Observe Fall Equinox

Ranging from the United Kingdom to China, the Fall equinox is celebrated globally. There are other September equinox and fall festivals held in many parts of the world, but they differ in terms of their focus and level of intricacy. And in case you haven't been able to experience one of the listed below, consider backpacking to the Northern Lights this upcoming September immediately!

• For Japanese Buddhists, the realm of the hereafter is assumed to be in the orient, where the sun goes down at the equinox. A Buddhist holiday known as ‘Higan,’ or ‘Higan-e,’ is observed in Japan between the September and March equinoxes. It's a period when people can visit, preserve, and embellish the graves of the deceased to pay tribute to them. Additionally, ‘Higan’ is a time for meditation and paying visits to living relatives.
• At the fall equinox ceremony on the Neris Estuary shoreline in Vilnius, Lithuania, participants ignite luminaries following sunset. 
• Residents in Poland consume food and flowers that have been blessed by a pastor and are later used as medicine to mark the 'Feast of Greener.'
• Throughout September and October, Hindus in India welcome Navaratri, a ceremony that precedes for multiple days to glorify the celebration of the celestial female Devi (Durga).

Interesting Facts about Fall Equinox 

Here are four interesting facts about Fall Equinox. Check this out for more facts related to the equinox here. 

• Fall Equinox marks the beginning of the Northern Lights. It occurs mainly because of the sun's increased activity, but that doesn’t mean that the Northern Lights can’t be triggered through any other circumstances, except the equinox enhances the opportunities for the instance. 
• Since, as we know, Fall Equinox is also known as ‘Autumn Equinox,’ let’s look at the word's origination. The French term “l’autumne” is where we get the word "autumn." Additionally, the term "fall," used to denote the autumnal season, is a contraction of "fall of the leaf."
• The association between the autumnal equinox and the full Moon is one of our picked bits of equinox knowledge. Oddly, the complete Moon corresponding to the fall equinox is typically called the "Harvest Moon."
• Did you know it's possible to balance an egg on the equinox? An old wives' story says you may raise an egg on the vernal equinox. Yes, that seems to be true. However, it's feasible. 

Unique Fall Equinox Celebration Ideas

There are a bunch of ways to celebrate this magical occasion. Let’s list down many of the few common among the traditional practitioners of this occasion, the Americans.

•  Mabon, a harvest festival commemorated by Pagans in honor of the Autumnal Equinox, is an occasion for exercising apple magic. In Apple Magic, the apple is dissected in one continuous piece, and when it falls off, it is dropped to the ground. The preliminary of the person's true love's identity is represented by the letter produced.
• Simultaneously, it's our turn to be kind to mother Earth and take care of it as it looks after us. Let's explore the plethora of ways we can do so. We can show a tree, Eliminate waste, start a compost bin, use reusable bags, purchase lightly worn clothing and other products, or repair what we already own rather than buying new to reduce waste. 

Fall Equinox Quotes

These heartwarming autumnal quotes will melt your heart and can often be put into service as ideal captions while posting pictures on Instagram or Facebook. 

"Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall." - F. Scott Fitzgerald 

"No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have ever seen in one autumnal face." - John Donne 

"And all at once, summer collapsed into fall." - Oscar Wilde 

FAQ

1. Does Fall Equinox mean the same as Autumn Equinox?’ 

Technically, yes! Since autumn starts in September and this event is used to describe the beginning of autumn, we could refer to them with similar names. 

2. Does it occur at different times worldwide? 

Not at all. The equinoxes take place at the exact moment all over the countries globally. 

3. What distinguishes a ‘solstice’ and an ‘equinox’?

While equinoxes take place when day and night are of equal length, solstices mark the longest and shortest days of the year.