How many days until Spring Equinox?

About Spring Equinox

The spring equinox, also called the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, marks the moment the sun crosses directly over Earth's equator, resulting in day and night of approximately equal length across most of the planet and traditionally signaling the astronomical start of spring. In the Northern Hemisphere this occurs in March, while the Southern Hemisphere experiences its spring equinox in September, since the same astronomical alignment produces opposite seasonal transitions depending on hemisphere. The date shifts slightly from year to year, generally falling on March 20, because the exact moment is defined by the precise instant of the sun's alignment with the equator, calculated in Coordinated Universal Time, which does not align perfectly with the length of a calendar year and can occasionally shift the specific local date depending on time zone. Despite the term "equinox" suggesting perfectly equal day and night, this is only approximately true; atmospheric refraction and the sun's disc-shaped rather than point-like appearance mean daylight is actually several minutes longer than night on the equinox itself in most locations, with the day of truly equal daylight and darkness, called the equilux, typically falling a few days before the equinox in many regions. The day has held symbolic and celebratory significance across many cultures throughout history, often associated with renewal, balance, and the arrival of the growing season, influencing various spring festivals around the world. A common misconception is assuming day and night are exactly equal on the equinox itself, when in practice the truly equal-length day usually occurs a few days earlier.

Dates on this page are checked against public calendar sources. Spot something wrong? Let us know.