AN ICY SPRING ARRIVAL--

and

A VERNAL EQUINOX--

Vernal is from Latin for “Spring” and Equinox, also from Latin, is for “Equal nights”.

The first day of spring or Spring Equinox occurs when the sun passes directly over the equator on its apparent, annual migration Northward.

The seasons are not of equal length because of the variable speed of the Earth’s orbit around the sun. Therefore, the day of the Spring equinox slowly creeps forward. Now it usually occurs on March 20th. Older folks (like me) may remember that that date used to be March 21st.

This year it is on the 21st, but, last year and every year forward at least through 2020, it will be on the 20th of March.

These dates change about one day in 70 years so it is not of much consequence within the span of a single lifetime. Eventually, authorities will impose an adjustment so our calendar dates conform to the actual celestial event.

Regardless; on this day every place on Earth has 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness.

Also on this day the sun rises exactly in the East and sets exactly in the West.

And, no; there is no magic about balancing an egg on its end on this day. If you can manage that feat on the Equinox, you can do it any other day as well.

That’s enough technical gibberish.

Just celebrate the growing warmth—in our hemisphere that is!

The ice coated trees event was yesterday. Ed.