Spring Equinox Quiz: Can You Outsmart the Sun This Season?

The spring equinox is recognized as the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. While meteorological seasons are fixed by calendar months, astronomical seasons rely on Earth’s position relative to the sun. The equinox represents the transition from shorter days and longer nights to increasing daylight, warmer weather, and blooming vegetation. This seasonal marker has been used by civilizations for millennia to plan agriculture, rituals, and calendars, and it also plays a key role in various mythologies and traditions tied to renewal and growth.

During the spring equinox, the Earth’s tilt positions the sun directly above the equator, making day and night nearly equal in length all over the world. This happens because neither hemisphere is tilted toward or away from the sun, leading to symmetrical solar exposure. The word “equinox” itself comes from the Latin for “equal night.” The illusion of equal day and night breaks slightly due to atmospheric refraction, but from a calendar and astronomical perspective, it's the closest Earth gets to a light-and-dark balance.

The spring equinox typically occurs around March 20th or 21st in the Northern Hemisphere. This is when Earth’s orbit around the sun reaches the position where its axis is not tilted toward or away from the sun. March marks the shift from winter to spring in temperate zones, aligning with many ancient calendars that recognized this moment as a new beginning. The specific date can shift slightly each year due to leap years and orbital variances, but March remains its consistent home.

“Vernal” comes from the Latin word vernalis, meaning “of the spring.” When used in “vernal equinox,” it designates the spring version of the equinox, as opposed to the autumnal one. Vernal is most commonly used in scientific and poetic descriptions of seasonal change. In the Northern Hemisphere, the vernal equinox marks the start of spring. Understanding this terminology helps differentiate between equinox types and builds a better grasp of astronomical language used in everything from weather systems to cultural events.

During the equinox, the sun is directly above the equator. This position allows for equal daylight distribution across the globe. Unlike solstices, when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer or Capricorn, the equator receives the full solar intensity during an equinox. This astronomical fact explains why both hemispheres experience similar lengths of day and night. The sun’s zenith position at the equator is a defining factor of the equinox’s balancing effect and its global importance.

Holi, the Indian festival of colors, is one of the most well-known cultural practices linked to the spring equinox. Celebrated near the full moon before or around the equinox, Holi marks the triumph of good over evil and the arrival of spring. It’s a festival rooted in agriculture and astronomical timing, celebrating renewal, fertility, and light. Though not fixed on equinox day itself, its placement in the calendar and symbolic themes reflect the equinox’s importance in many cultural and seasonal traditions.

On both the spring and autumn equinox, the sun rises exactly in the east and sets exactly in the west. This is because the tilt of the Earth's axis is perpendicular to the sun’s rays on these days. At all other times of the year, the sunrise and sunset shift northward or southward. This precise east-west alignment has been observed for thousands of years and is even embedded into the design of ancient monuments. It's one of the most predictable features of the equinox.

Stonehenge, located in England, is one of the most famous ancient monuments aligned with solar events, including the equinox. Though more commonly associated with solstices, Stonehenge’s design and orientation also capture the sun’s alignment during the equinoxes, particularly how it rises and sets in relation to its massive stone structures. This suggests the builders had a sophisticated understanding of celestial cycles. Its alignment reflects the deep human fascination with seasonal change and reinforces the equinox’s role in prehistoric timekeeping and ritual.

Equinoxes occur due to a combination of Earth’s tilt (23.5°) and its orbit around the sun. As Earth revolves, its axial tilt causes different hemispheres to receive varying sunlight throughout the year. Twice annually, the tilt aligns so that the sun sits directly above the equator—this results in equal day and night worldwide. This balance only occurs on the equinoxes. It's not about slowing or speeding or the sun's distance, but how our tilted planet intersects light during its solar path.

In astrology, the spring equinox marks the start of Aries—the first sign of the zodiac calendar. Aries is associated with rebirth, initiative, and energy, fitting the symbolic meaning of spring. The zodiac wheel is not just seasonal but celestial, aligning planetary movement with human traits and symbolism. When the sun crosses the celestial equator at the equinox, astrologers consider it a cosmic “reset” point, making Aries a powerful sign of beginnings. This connection links astronomy, mythology, and personality frameworks.