When the ground is covered in snow and the festive twinkle lights have come down, the winter void sets in; We all wait with bated breath for the next season to come as the cold seeps into our bones. The excitement rises as the temperatures begin to climb and the snow retreats. People begin to leave the cocoon of heavy winter coats and reach for lighter coverings. The first green stalks begin to unfold through the thawing ground and birds seem to appear. This signals the spring equinox is upon us.
The spring equinox, also called the march or vernal equinox, occurs in the Northern Hemisphere. The sun crosses the imaginary line above the equator going south to north. The Northern and Southern Hemispheres are approximately getting equal amounts of sunlight. The darkness that has ruled the Winter now gives way to sunlight to shine more hours of the day. This day also brings the quickest sunrise and sunset of the year. The lack of tilt the Earth is experiencing makes the sun appear and disappear behind the horizon rapidly.
Some locations around the world attract many people during the four equinoxes of the year. These places hold traditional or mythical meaning to those who gather. For instance, Machu Picchu, Peru the Incan City Intihuatana, has a stone that is perfectly positioned with the four cardinal directions. During the spring or fall equinox the stone is a fairly accurate indicator of the date of these equinoxes. One of the most famous would include Stone Henge in Wiltshire, England. Built in 3000 B.C. At dawn of the summer solstice the sun rises over the Heel Stone directly lining up with the sunlight breaking the darkness. Closer to the United States resides Chichen Itza, Mexico. Here the Mayans build a huge pyramid around A.D. 1000. During the spring equinox the sunlight reveals a light pattern that looks like a snake. The Mayans referred to this equinox as the “ return of the Sun serpent” making is an incredible sight to witness.
Please Click the Dropdown Below for the Earliest Blooming Flowers of Spring