VERNAL EQUINOX

SPRING

From Medieval Latin aequinoxium, from Latin aequinoctium : aequi-, equi- + nox, noct-, night, via french équinoxe. 

Translated literally, equinox means “equal night”.

March 20 (March 21 in some years) is not only an indicator of the changing seasons, is significant for astronomical reasons. The Sun crosses directly over the Earth's equator. This moment is known as the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. For the Southern Hemisphere, this is the moment of the autumnal equinox.

Day and night are about equal in length all over the world during the equinoxes, because the sun is positioned above the equator.

Generations have recognized the vernal equinox for thousands of years. There are different rituals and traditions surrounding the coming of spring.

For many, the basic reason was that their food supplies would soon be restored.

In Christianity the date is significant because Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox.

The Egyptians also built the Great Sphinx so that it points directly toward the rising Sun on the day of the vernal equinox.

The vernal equinox, is also known as "the first point of Aries," is the point at which the sun appears to cross the celestial equator from south to north.

The Vernal Equinox is a time of renewal, both in Nature and in Man.

It is believed by many ancient cultures, that the coming of "spring" removes any negative energy accumulated over the dark winter months and prepares the home for the positive growing energy of spring and summer.

At this time, the amount of dark and light is balanced, twelve hours of each, day and night.

It is a moment of equilibrium in the year.

The Vernal Equinox used to be considered the beginning of the Pagan New Year. It was a time of joy called forth by the resurrection of the "Light of the World" (sun god) from the underworld of the winter, from where he arose to join his goddess Eastre (Easter is named after the ancient German goddess of spring - Eastre).

All This finds its primitive origins in earlier European and Middle Eastern cultures, all of which had major festivals, usually to do with resurrection and/or release from bondage, based around the vernal equinox.

But for thousands of years before the Christian era, the Vernal Equinox signaled the beginning of the season of rebirth, the resurrection of nature and of many an ancient pagan god.

Babylonians and Assyrians placed greater importance on the Equinoxes than the solstices. The most important festival in Babylonia was the New Year, which occurred at the Spring equinox.

"The most significant ancient religious structure for the Jewish people (and later Christians as well), was Solomon's temple at Jerusalem, oriented to the Equinox sunrise. Each Spring Equinox, at the time of the ancient agricultural festival of sowing, sunlight was allowed to enter the length of an open passage from the doorway of the temple over the high altar and into the Holy of Holies. It is noted that, "There is evidence ... that the entrance of the sunlight on the morning of the Spring Equinox formed part of the ceremonial. The priest being in the Holy Place, the worshippers outside, with their backs to the sun, could see the high priest by the sunlight reflected from the jewels of his garment".

The Vernal Equinox is a special times where there is a quality of energy in our planet. Energy to plant, energy to grow, energy to renew our lives. What is occurring is that life it self is being renewed, because energy is emerging from the ground where it has been dormant in the earth since the winter solstice.

Here is a table were you can calculate the beginning of spring.

From 1452 to 2547:

the  earliest spring equinox is March 19, 2496, at

12:28 pm U.T.

8:28 am A.S.T.

7:28 am E.S.T.

4:28 am P.S.T.

and the latest spring equinox is March 21, 1503, at

8:42 pm U.T.

4:42 pm A.S.T.

3:42 pm E.S.T.

12:42 pm P.S.T.

Timetable from year 2000 - 2012

Year                 Gregorian Calendar                     Julian

        ============================================       Calendar

           UT        A.S.T.      E.S.T.      P.S.T.           UT

         d  h  m     d  h  m     d  h  m     d  h  m        d  h  m

2000    20 07 35    20 03 35    20 02 35    19 23 35       07 07 35

2001    20 13 31    20 09 31    20 08 31    20 05 31       07 13 31

2002    20 19 16    20 15 16    20 14 16    20 11 16       07 19 16

2003    21 01 00    20 21 00    20 20 00    20 17 00       08 01 00

2004    20 06 49    20 02 49    20 01 49    19 22 49       07 06 49

2005    20 12 33    20 08 33    20 07 33    20 04 33       07 12 33

2006    20 18 26    20 14 26    20 13 26    20 10 26       07 18 26

2007    21 00 07    20 20 07    20 19 07    20 16 07       08 00 07

2008    20 05 48    20 01 48    20 00 48    19 21 48       07 05 48

2009    20 11 44    20 07 44    20 06 44    20 03 44       07 11 44

2010    20 17 32    20 13 32    20 12 32    20 09 32       07 17 32

2011    20 23 21    20 19 21    20 18 21    20 15 21       07 23 21

2012    20 05 14    20 01 14    20 00 14    19 21 14       07 05 14

Also read - Celebration of Spring>>>