NORTHERN HEMISPHERE — At 11:06 p.m., March 19, the March equinox — all things balancing nicely — will occur. This will mark the beginning of Spring 2024, which is to last for the next 92 days, 17 hours and 44 minutes, until Summer Solstice, June 20, 4:50 p.m.

And at 11:06 p.m. Tuesday, the earth will be positioning itself in such a fashion that the length of night and day will be almost equal across the globe. Sweet dreams!

The Spring, or Vernal, Equinox signals our midpoint march toward much longer days and shorter nights. Meanwhile, it is the Autumnal Equinox for those on the other side of the equator, as folks there move into winter.

It is called equinox (Latin for equal night) because day and night are almost of equal length, a phenomenon that occurs twice a year, now and again in September. At our latitude, 44:31 degrees, sunrise will be at 6:43 a.m. and set at 6:50 p.m. That will create 12 hours and 43 seconds of daylight.

“The ‘nearly’ equal hours of day and night is due to refraction of sunlight or a bending of the light's rays that causes the sun to appear above the horizon when the actual position of the sun is below the horizon,” according to the National Weather Service. “Additionally, the days become a little longer at the higher latitudes (those at a distance from the equator) because it takes the sun longer to rise and set.  Therefore, on the equinox and for several days before and after the equinox, the length of day will range from about 12 hours and six and one-half minutes at the equator, to 12 hours and 8 minutes at 30 degrees latitude, to 12 hours and 16 minutes at 60 degrees latitude.”

It's a good time to celebrate, as the days get longer and we keep an ear out for the peepers. Welcome, spring!