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Equal night -

In the Northern Hemisphere, the March equinox is called the vernal or spring equinox. The word "equinox" comes from the Latin for "equal" and "night."

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Northern Hemisphere -

The March equinox happens around March 20. In the Northern Hemisphere, this date marks the start of the spring season. In the Southern Hemisphere, the March equinox marks the beginning of autumn.

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Day and night -

On the day of an equinox, daytime and nighttime are of approximately equal duration all over the planet.

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Spring equinox -

Well, actually, not quite. In reality, day and night are not exactly equal on the equinox. The reason is daytime begins the moment any part of the Sun appears over the horizon and doesn't disappear until the last portion of it dips below the horizon.

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Ostara -

In Celtic tradition, the hare is sacred to Ostara, the ancient Germanic goddess of spring. Legend says that she transformed a bird into a hare around the spring equinox. The hare later responded by laying colored eggs in time for Easter.

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The Moon and the hare -

The hare is also a symbol for the Moon. The Moon and the hare were believed to die daily in order to be reborn—thus the hare is a symbol of immortality and associated with rebirth and renewal.

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Eostre -

Confusingly, Ostara is also known as Eostre, the pagan goddess of dawn. This 1050 copy of a manuscript shows agricultural occupations from January to June. January, ploughing and sowing; February, pruning vines; March, digging and raking. April, drinking in honor of the pagan goddess Eostre; May, shepherds grazing their sheep; June, cutting timber.

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The egg myth -

Legend says that special magnetic or energetic changes on the day of the spring equinox make it possible to balance a raw egg on its narrow end. This is because the day is (more or less) equal parts day and night, and therefore affects gravity. The egg symbolizes the rebirth of nature, the fertility of the Earth and all creation, and is of course more closely associated with Easter.

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Balancing act -

Like the egg myth, some believe that the Sun's gravitational pull on the Earth during the equinox makes it easier to balance other objects. The fact is solar gravitational pull doesn't affect any balancing act you're trying to pull off, and performing a complex stunt the like one pictured will be just as tough on the equinox as any other day of the year.

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Spring equinox and Easter -

It was a group of Christian leaders who back in the fourth century CE decided that Easter was to be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full Moon following the spring equinox.

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The Cybele cult -

In ancient Rome, the spring equinox was an excuse by some to celebrate the deity Cybele, a goddess closely associated with nature and fertility. Cybele was known as Magna Mater ("Great Mother") and as a cult evolved around her, celebrations became more frenetic, involving dancing, drinking, and sex.

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Gateway to hell -

For the residents of Stull, a small nondescript town in Kansas, the spring equinox marks the arrival of the devil himself. Satan is said to appear in a cemetery on Emanuel Hill, the graveyard being possessed by demonic forces. People visiting the cemetery around this period have reported hearing deep growling noises, with some even claiming to have been grabbed by unseen arms. And guess what? The devil makes another appearance here during Halloween!

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Poisoned waters -

Ancient Judaic mythology suggests that the solstices and equinoxes were spiritually vulnerable moments, periods when fresh clean spring water, for example, became unsafe to drink due to warring supernatural powers tainting it with poison. Israeli religious media even warned against drinking water during the first hour of summer, as reported by the Jewish Standard.

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Severn Bore -

Tidal bores—large waves caused by the constriction of the spring tide as it enters a long, narrow, shallow inlet—occur all year round with spring tides, but are biggest near an equinox. One of the most notable examples of this odd phenomenon occurs in a river estuary near Gloucestershire, England. Called the Severn Bore, it's large enough to attract surfers who gather from around the world to ride it.

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Sock burning ceremony -

An old custom survives in the United States where mariners have for years gathered at the Annapolis Maritime Museum in Maryland at the spring equinox to burn their worn, sweaty socks in an odd display of sartorial renewal. Sailors believe that getting rid of socks in this manner serve the double purpose of doing away with neglected footwear and saying goodbye to the cold cruel winter.

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Chichén Itzá -

One of the most visited archaeological sites in Mexico, the ruins of the Mayan city of Chichén Itzá include the Temple of Kukulcán (pictured), which the Maya dedicated to the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl. At sunset on the equinoxes, the angle of the Sun creates shadows that look like a giant serpent wriggling down the staircase.

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Pagan ritual -

Pagans have long believed the spring equinox is the start of a fertile time in all living things. Stonehenge, the prehistoric monument in England, served for millennia as a symbolic gathering point for those celebrating the equinoxes and the solstices, where fertility rites would be performed.

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Hot cross bun -

The hot cross bun is a spiced sweet roll recognized by a cross on top. While traditionally eaten on Good Friday, the bun has its origins in the solstices and equinoxes and the Celtic cross. There's the four equal armed cross of balance within the circle. Then you have two equinoxes crossed by the two solstices, the four seasons, the four sacred directions of North, East, South and West and the five elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, with Spirit at the center. 

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Worm Moon -

The first full Moon in March is known as a Worm Moon. Do you know why? Tradition says the early spring rains reduce oxygen levels in the soil, thus prompting earthworms to wriggle up to the surface for air.

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Sun rise, Sun set -

Equinoxes are the only two times each year that the Sun rises due east and sets due west for all of us on Earth.

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Blink and you'll miss it -

Contrary to popular belief, the spring equinox is not an all-day event. Instead, it occurs for an instant—the exact moment the Sun passes over the equator. Blink and you'll miss it!

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Noontime shadow -

Stand anywhere on the equator precisely at noon at the equinox and your shadow will disappear. This happens because you are not standing at an angle to the Sun. Instead, it's directly overhead, so no shadow is cast.

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Spring fever? -

There's no scientific proof that the Sun passing over the equator can affect mood. But a condition exists known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This is a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons.

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Does the spring equinox always fall on March 20? -

The exact time of the spring equinox varies from year to year, which means so can the date. Usually, the spring equinox happens on March 20 or 21. The 2016 spring equinox, however, occurred during the very early hours of Sunday, March 20— the earliest spring equinox since 1896! And according to The Washington Post, the March equinox will arrive continually earlier with each passing leap year. In fact, the earliest equinox of the 21st century will be in 2096, arriving midday on March 19.

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Spring equinox -

Furthermore, due to time zone differences, mainland United States will not see a March 21 spring equinox during the entire 21st century! The nation will have to wait until March 21, 2101.

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Chilly equinox -

Despite its association with warmer weather, the spring equinox is typically colder than the fall equinox in September.

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Increased daylight -

After the spring equinox, the Northern Hemisphere nods toward the Sun. This means the amount of daylight each day will continue to increase until the summer solstice in June, which marks the longest period of daylight.

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Planet Mars -

We're not the only planet blessed with equinoxes. Every planet in the solar system has an equinox, including Mars (pictured).

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Nowruz -

The Persian New Year celebration known as Nowruz is celebrated at the spring equinox and lasts for 13 days. Customs include family members gathering around a table and waiting for the exact moment of the March equinox to celebrate the New Year. Dinner is served, the dishes of which include sabze (pictured)—wheat, barley, mung bean, or lentil sprouts grown in a dish.

Sources: (Jewish Standard) (The Severn Bore) (The Christian Science Monitor) (The Old Farmer's Almanac) (Johns Hopkins Medicine) (The Washington Post) 

See also: Fascinating food traditions from religions around the world

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