View synonyms for vernal equinox

vernal equinox

[ vur-nl ee-kwuh-noks, ek-wuh-noks ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

equinox1
Also called ver·nal point. the position of the sun at the time of the vernal equinox.

vernal equinox

the time at which the sun crosses the plane of the equator towards the relevant hemisphere, making day and night of equal length. It occurs about March 21 in the N hemisphere (Sept 23 in the S hemisphere)
1. astronomy the point, lying in the constellation Pisces, at which the sun's ecliptic intersects the celestial equator
2. the time at which this occurs as the sun travels south to north (March 21)

vernal equinox

/ vûr′nəl /

First recorded in 1525–35

The line drawn from the sun toward the right of the figure shows the direction to the vernal equinox.

How many days will be required for it to move completely around the ecliptic from vernal equinox back to vernal equinox again?

It is the first of the twelve signs of the zodiac, which the sun enters at the vernal equinox, about the 21st of March.

At the vernal equinox, the ancients celebrated the bridal of the sun and the earth.

The festival of the vernal equinox would then be celebrated on the first of April.

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