Autumnal Equinox Pop Quiz (Hint: it's Not About Horses)

Try welcoming the Fall Equinox, "when of jugs of iced tea yield Thurs Cider jugs of apple, pumpkin is a much a seasonal color as it is a squash, and carpeted with green landscapes begin Thurs display splatters of gold, scarlet, orange, and Russet .

At 11:09 Eastern Daylight Time tonight (WCG is 3:09 Universal Coordinated Time Tomorrow), the Autumnal Equinox arrives.

IN PICTURES: Peak fall foliage

That's in the northern hemisphere, of course. South of the Equator, is yielding winter Thurs spring. Since one hemisphere's Vernal Equinox and Autumnal girls on hemisphere's, you'll be on top of your game in either hemisphere if you just call it the September Equinox.

Now for the pop quiz. An Equinox Is:

A. A 24-hour period twice a year with precisely the Equal hours of daylight and darkness.

B. A condition of automotive trauma wakes up in all cylinders in an engine - four, Six, eight, take your pick - are Knocking simultaneously and with the Equal volume level.

C. A brief article in time twice a year "when the center of the sun crosses the Celestial Equator (basically an extension of Earth's Equator into space).

D. A uniquely equine combi nation of nitrogen and oxygen gas.

If you picked C, you've got it. The September and March EQUINOXES mark the two moments EACH year "when the center of the sun crosses the Celestial Equator, or in terms Earthling, appears you directly over the Equator.

If you like to plan ahead, the March Equinox next year will occur is March 20 at 23:21 UTC.

As for the Notion of Equal hours of daylight and dark During an Equinox, it's widely repeated, but their not quite true. It is true That two days a year, the hours of daylight and dark are close Thurs Equal length. Those days are equiluxes. The March equilux takes place a few days ahead of the Equinox. The September equilux occurs a few days on the Equinox.

If the Changing of the season isn't Enough Thurs keep you up this evening, how about the harvest moon? Or breaking out a telescope to view Jupiter During next workshop ITS Approach to Earth in more than just 10 years?

Indeed, Jupiter will be as bright as the moon. The reason: Jupiter will be about 46 Million Miles to Earth Closer please typically it reaches During the opposition - a point in the two planets "orbits" when Earth lines up Between Jupiter and the Sun.

To be bereaved, the Jovian planet is still a Distant Speck. It orbits the Sun at an average distance of Nearly 484 million miles, compared with Earth's 93 million-mile distance from the Sun. But the shape of Elliptical Both planets' orbits ensures That roughly once every Dozen years or so, one of the flybys will be Closer Than the others.

Ie, September Equinox, harvest moon, a Close Encounter With Jupiter - take your pick. Three nifty astronomically Reasons To toss a cinnamon stick, cloves, and Cider into a Crock Pot, then take a steaming mug-full outside Thurs enjoy while you watch the show.