5 things you may not know about the autumn and spring equinox (and why it could affect you)

The conjunction of the two phenomena is a rarity that has not been seen for nearly 40 years.

The full supermoon has awakened more attention thanks to its beauty. To balance the balance, we present here some data from the equinox that you may not have known.

1. The origin of the term (and its varieties)

The word equinox originates from the Latin aequinoctium which means "equal night".

The equinox occurs when the sun is placed exactly on the equator, with which light and heat are proportionally distributed in both hemispheres, so that the day and the night are the same (almost) identical, hence its name.

The equinox terms of spring and fall are those that have always been used universally, but that may be confused by the need to differentiate between the northern and southern hemispheres.

One possible solution is to call them the equinox of March and September so that we do not have to specify each time which hemisphere we are talking about.

However, this option is not universal because not all crops use a solar calendar in which equinoxes appear each year in the same month.

2. Disagreement between astronomers and climatologists

For astronomers, the March 20 equinox indicated the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere and the fall in the southern hemisphere, and we have almost all embraced this concept.

With the exception of scientists working in climatology, who consider that the station started on March 1st.

Astronomers define the Earth's seasons according to the position of our planet in relation to the Sun, but scientists working with the climate take as reference the Earth's temperature cycle and not the astronomical position of the Sun.

3. Since when do we speak of equinox

The phenomenon of equinoxes has been defined for centuries and centuries.

Establishing the Julian calendar in 46 BC BC, Julio César decided that on March 25, he would mark the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere.

This day was already the first of the year in the calendars of Persia and India.

But there was a problem.

As the Julian year is longer than the tropical year, with about 11.3 minutes on average (or one day every 128 years), the dates changed; in the year 300 AD the equinox took place on March 21st and in the year 1500 it was advanced to March 11th.

This variation led Pope Gregory XIII to create the modern Gregorian calendar with which, after several calculations and adjustments, it was established that the equinox oscillated between March 19th and 21st.

4. Cultural aspects of the equinox

As the equinoxes are perceived as the beginning of spring or fall, picturesque festivals are often held around the world to welcome the new season.

In Bhopal, India, the Holi festival marks the arrival of spring.

However, and without demeaning to the equinox, the celebration of the solstices (June and December) is more striking and symbolic.

5. Effect on satellites and other planets

One of the effects of equinox periods is the temporary disruption of communication satellites.

The immense power of the Sun and its broad spectrum of radiation overloads the receiving circuits of the ground stations and, depending on the size of the antenna and other factors, temporarily modify or degrade the circuit.

The duration of these effects varies from a few minutes to an hour.

Equinoxes occur on all planets with an inclined axis of rotation. Saturn is a clear example. The equinox places the edge of its cyclic system facing the Sun.

This phenomenon occurs every 14.7 years on average and can last a few weeks before and after the exact equinox.

The last Saturn date of August 11, 2009 and the next will be May 6, 2025.

The most recent of March was May 22, 2018 and the next will be this Saturday, March 23.

How can this affect us

The equinox itself does not have any physical effect on humans, scientists say.

What seems to affect us is the change of season, but even on this aspect, the experts do not agree.

Some evoke the arrival of spring and the benefits of having more hours of sunshine, which translates into greater joy, the desire to leave and a more active life.

In contrast, the arrival of autumn is badociated with a fall in mood, called autumn depression.

But this is not universal: for others, spring is synonymous with the so-called spring asthenia, in which energy is lacking and where reticence and demotivation weigh.

In which group are you?

BBC.