When the day of the equinox begins. What. See what "Vernal Equinox Day" is in other dictionaries

The night of December 21-22 is special. First, it will be the moment of the Winter Solstice (1:23 am on December 22, Moscow time). Secondly, the Moon will be in the full moon phase, its maximum light, and also in Taurus - the sign of its exaltation (Vedic horoscope).

Equinox day in 2018

The night of December 21-22 will be the longest in 2018 in the entire northern hemisphere. This phenomenon occurs for the reason that it is at this time that the tilt of the Earth's axis of rotation relative to the Sun becomes greatest. In the calendar, this date is called the Winter Solstice. The exact date and time of the winter solstice in 2018: Greenwich time - December 21 22 hours 23 minutes GMT Kiev time - December 22 at 00 hours 23 minutes Moscow time - December 22 at 01 hours 23 minutes December 21 and 22 - the most short days year, and between them the longest night of the year. In the Southern Hemisphere, an astronomical summer will begin at the winter solstice. In astrology, the winter solstice is the moment when the Sun passes into the constellation Capricorn and the beginning of the astronomical winter, which will last right up to the vernal equinox.

WHAT IS THIS DAY IMPORTANT?

First, we have 4 important points in the wheel of the year - the spring and autumn equinox, summer and winter solstice. They divide the solar year into a cross - a key symbol of the cyclical nature of the universe and the Sun (Slavic and Vedic swastika).

Each of these 4 stages has its own qualities, and on the day of the Winter Solstice, we in the northern hemisphere live the longest, darkest night, after which the day begins to grow.

Secondly, in 2018, this day coincides with the full moon - a special phase of the moon, in which we receive the maximum light of the night star. This day is very important for practice and work with intention, rituals are performed on it.

BEGINNING A NEW CYCLE

The Winter Solstice is the moment of the Sun's rebirth, when its light will be more and more. Within our human cycle, this corresponds to spiritual ascent, a movement from darkness to light. The full moon strengthens the energies of this day, further charging the practices and intentions that are worth undertaking on this day.

Such an important day in the annual cycle should not be overlooked. Our ancestors always carried out holiday rituals on such days, which showed their deep understanding of the laws of the universe, connection with the cycles of nature, life in harmony with the surrounding world and space. Recommended Practices:

1. Cleansing. To enter the new, you must leave the old. Therefore, the day before it will be very good to do the cleansing practices:

• House cleaning, getting rid of old things.
• Cleansing the body.Any method available and shown to your health to cleanse or unload the body.
• Return of debts, completion of "imperfections". Sit down and make a list of what you owe someone, or once promised, or maybe promised yourself, started and didn't finish. Something you can complete already before December 22, and something - in the near future, in order to free up space for a new cycle.
• Forgiving and letting go Practice forgiveness. Remember and write the situations, people you have grudges, write the words of forgiveness, speak out loud, release them from the emotional field with gratitude. Burn this piece of paper. K. Tipping's book "Radical Forgiveness" will help you.

Our ancestors knew and honored the laws of nature, so they celebrated events like the winter solstice.

Despite the tremendous progress made, even modern technologies unable to break the magic of natural cycles: lunar days will not change places, and summer will not come after autumn.

In 2018, the winter solstice will occur on December 22 at 01:23 am Moscow time. On this day, the Sun reaches its lowest position. Further, at the end of December and January, daylight hours become longer.

In astrology, on this day, the Sun passes from the zodiac sign Sagittarius to the sign of Capricorn, and the astrological winter begins.

Note that the astronomical winter begins on the night of December 21-22. This is because the height of the sun rises in the sky is the lowest on this day. In the old days, on this day, our ancestors celebrated it at night, before sunrise. Various rituals and conspiracies were performed.

The traditions of many peoples have implied the celebration of the Winter Solstice Day as the birth of a new Sun.

It is worth saying that for the Winter Solstice, our ancestors tried to prepare their homes: a general cleaning was carried out, and the rooms and houses outside were decorated with fir branches.

The winter solstice was considered the New Year among the Slavs. The celebration was called in honor of Kolyada, the god of the new Sun.

As for the long day, then it is observed on June 22, then in the future it gradually decreases. At the end of June, the days begin to gradually decrease, and by December they will reach their minimum. In the northernmost cities, the polar night will even come.

In turn, the day of the autumnal equinox occurs from September 21 to 23, when the day is the same in length as the night. After this day, the night begins to increase and the day decreases.

According to universal time, the vernal equinox occurs on March 22, when the sun passes from the southern hemisphere to the northern. This is the period when day is almost equal to night.

When is the autumnal equinox in 2018 / 1zoom.ru

Those days when the day is equal to the night are called the day of the equinox - spring or autumn. We will meet the autumnal equinox this week.

Autumn equinox-2018: when - what date and what time

In 2018, the autumnal equinox fell on September 23rd. It will start at 4:54 Kiev time.

On the same date, the autumnal equinox falls in 2019 (at 9:50 am Kyiv time). But in 2020 - on September 22 (15:31 Kiev time).

Autumn equinox: signs

This day is considered the beginning of the real, "golden" autumn. By folk signswhat the weather will be like on this day, it is worth waiting for such weather for the rest of autumn.

Autumn equinox day among the Slavs

It was a time for our ancestors to take stock and celebrate the harvest. Thanks for a successful year and a rich harvest were lifted to the gods, and they also asked for intercession for the coming winter.

During this period, they were stocked with forest mushrooms and medicinal herbs for the winter.

Autumn equinox: rituals

Some rituals of the ancient Slavs may well be repeated in our time. For example, a ceremony for the prosperity of a family: apples of a new harvest (preferably from their own garden, but purchased ones are also suitable) - there should be the same number of members in the family - each family member should hold in his hand. Then the fruits saturated with the energy of each family member are put on a dish and put on the table. In the evening, a candle is lit, the names of all family members are repeated. Then you need to focus on apples, representing the worries that disturb the person, and pronounce the conspiracy: "Bulk apples, warmed by the Sun, grown by the power of the Earth, plucked in the fall, completing the year. Each apple takes adversity, prosperity attracts to the family. We (names) will be lucky, but adversity will bypass."... After that, the apples are eaten by each of the family members, and the stubs are thrown away as far from the house as possible.

This year, March 20 is the day of the vernal equinox. At 13:29 Moscow time, the Sun crosses the celestial equator in its apparent movement along the ecliptic. The duration of the day and night is the same throughout the Earth and equals 12 hours. The celestial equator is the projection of the earth's equator onto the sphere of fixed stars infinitely distant from us.

The sun does not move along the celestial equator, otherwise the day would be equal to night every day, - says Alexander Bagrov, a leading researcher at the Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences. - No, the Sun is moving along the ecliptic, slightly tilted. When the star rises above the ecliptic, we have a long day. When it goes down, the nights are long. And only at the moment when the Sun passes through the celestial equator, day is equal to night. Therefore, the event is called the equinox, in contrast to the summer and winter solstices.

In the last two events, as the astronomer explains, the Sun is located as far as possible from the celestial equator. And then it turns out the longest day of the year - in the summer. Or the longest night is in winter.

The spring equinox from ancient times symbolizes the beginning of a new cycle in nature. And also new beginnings in people's lives. From the point of view of astrology, for example, the date of the vernal equinox is the day when the Sun enters 0 degrees of Aries. This point is the beginning of the Zodiac. Once upon a time the Sun on the day of the vernal equinox really rose against the background of the constellation Aries, but over time, the equinox point has shifted, and now it is actually in the constellation Pisces. Since the signs of the zodiac are not associated with the constellations, although they bear their names, the first sign of the zodiac, as before, is called Aries.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the vernal equinox marks the beginning of spring, and has long been celebrated as a time of rebirth, says the candidate historical sciences, lecturer at Moscow State University Boris Manevich. - This is a day of balance between day and night, light and darkness. In many cultures and religions, various holidays were timed to coincide with the vernal equinox. On this day, it was customary to conduct all kinds of magical rituals. For example, after a series of preparations, plant seeds in a pot and make a wish. Then the seeds had to be carefully and for a long time to look after, so that they germinated and gave fruit. It was believed that with the appearance of fruits, desires are fulfilled.

Magic is a spawn human consciousness... Simply put - fiction, - astronomer Alexander Bagrov is skeptical. - You have to understand that people have been engaged in agriculture or hunting. Both were closely related to the seasons. Either the flight of birds begins, then it is time to plow the land - in general, the time had to be counted somehow. Observations helped in this countdown. For example, March 20 is day equal to night. Aha, there is a starting point! From this moment, the day will be longer than the night, you need to get the plow, and after plowing, sowing.

As the scientist explained, science now, unfortunately, does not know everything. And in ancient times she knew even less. Therefore, people built all sorts of guesses, backed them up with rituals, which filled the void of scientific knowledge.

Events that are easily explainable now - for example, the same spring equinox - were given a certain magical meaning, people believed their own inventions, - explained Bagrov. “But we cannot repeat their mistakes.

Since ancient times, people have known what the equinox is, although the physical essence of the phenomenon could only be explained with the advent of astronomy. There are two days of the year - the vernal and autumnal equinox, which are very important. At this time, the Sun passes a certain point where the ecliptic and the equator intersect.

Astronomical event

For astronomy, the days of the solstice, the equinox play an important role. So what is an equinox and why does it happen?

As you know, an astronomical event is associated with the tilt of the axis of our planet and the orbit of the star. The earth has a tilt of 23.5 degrees, it has a southern and northern hemisphere, which are illuminated almost equally. Because of this, the length of day and night is almost equal throughout the planet, with the exception of certain regions. But twice a year the illumination is uniform across the entire planet. After these two days of the year, nights in the Northern Hemisphere lengthen and days get shorter.

Usually, sunlight reaches the planet's surface only at one pole, while at the other it is night. And only on the days of the equinox, the rays of the Sun reach both poles so that they illuminate half of the planet, while the second half remains at night.

Dates

The equinox number is always shifting. This is due to the fact that the Earth revolves around our star not in a circle, but in an ellipse. As a result of this movement, the spring equinox falls on March 20-12, and the autumn equinox on September 22-23. The day itself is equal in duration to the night.

The vernal equinox

One of the unique natural phenomena is the vernal equinox. At this moment, the Sun crosses the celestial equator. During the movement of the Earth and the Sun, a moment occurs when the rays of the luminary fall vertically on the equator. During the transition of the Sun from one hemisphere of the planet to another, day and night remain equal.

The equinox day is considered to be the beginning of the astronomical season. The interval from spring to spring day considered a tropical year. There are about 365.24 days in it. Due to this incomplete 366th day, the day moves forward by almost six hours.

What is equinox for humans and how does it affect the planet? For many peoples, the vernal equinox begins New Year... This day is of great importance for Iran, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan. Some other countries of the Silk Road also associate the beginning of the new year with this particular natural phenomenon.

On this day, darkness and light are equal. There was a time when there were no calendars. At that time, the beginning of spring was determined precisely by the day of the equinox. It is believed that from this day the renewal of nature begins - trees wake up, you can hear the first thunder, and greenery begins to grow.

On the holiday of the spring equinox, our ancestors rolled burning wheels down the hill, as a sign of respect for the Sun, its symbol. The festivities took place all over the country - people burned fires, jumped over them, danced, pulled the rope. On the vernal equinox, baked goods were prepared and treated to loved ones, relatives, and presented as a gift to ancestors.

Autumn day

And what is equinox and when does it happen, as celebrated by the peoples of the world? Autumn day coincides with many different celebrations.

IN Ancient Greece a beautiful legend was associated with the autumn equinox, according to which the goddess of fertility, Persephone, returns to Hades in the underworld. On this day, various magical rituals should be carried out, the successes and failures of the past months should be evaluated.

In China, the Autumn Festival, or the Moon Festival, is held on this day. The abundance of the harvest is celebrated on this day. Traditionally, moon cake is prepared on this day, to which goose eggs, lotus, dried fruits, sesame seeds are added.

Higan is celebrated in Japan. Usually on this day the Japanese commemorate the deceased, decorate the graves. Higan began to be celebrated in the nineteenth century.

In the middle of autumn, the pagans celebrated Mabon, a holiday of the cycle of the season. It marks the second harvest, the beginning of winter preparations. It was customary on this day to “go to nature”, to collect leaves and seeds.

After the day of the equinox, when our star passes into the Northern Hemisphere from the Southern, an astronomical change of seasons begins on Earth. So, spring comes to the Northern Hemisphere, and autumn comes to the Southern Hemisphere.

On the days of the equinox on the planet, day and night are equal to 12 hours. Although this statement has a small caveat, because at the North Pole and in the southern regions, time passes differently. "Almost" equal day and night are not really equal. If you do accurate math, the day is longer than the night. Its duration is 12 hours 12 minutes.

Since ancient times, people have known what the equinox is and how the Sun moves across the sky. On these days, the luminary rises strictly in the east, and sits strictly in the west. After the vernal equinox day, the Sun will begin to rise higher, the length of the day will increase. In autumn, the process takes place in the opposite direction: the day becomes shorter and the night becomes longer.

Our ancestors believed that on the days of the equinox, you can find out the name of your husband, make wishes that will come true.

After a long winter, we all look forward to the arrival of spring. In March, buds appear on trees, nature comes to life after a long sleep, birds sing and the sun shines. The beloved holiday of the Spring Equinox Day - what date will it be in 2020 and how is it celebrated? Read the details in this article.

What happens on this day?

First of all, let's figure out what the spring equinox is. In fact, the answer lies in the name Equinox: day is equal to night, that is, the duration of daylight and darkness is the same.

Distinguish between the spring equinox, which is celebrated in March, and the autumn - in September. Some also talk about spring solsticehowever this is wrong. After all, there are only summer and winter - in June and December.

The date of the holiday in different years falls on different days: March 19, 20 or 21. The exact date depends on the year, it's all about the shift in the calendar due to leap years.

In 2020, the vernal equinox will occur on March 20 at 06:50 am Moscow time. If you live in another region, you can calculate the time yourself, knowing Moscow time.

After this day, the length of daylight begins to increase, and the day becomes longer than night.

Watch the video, which reveals the astronomical essence of the equinox phenomenon:

On March 21, the Sun moves from the zodiac sign Pisces to the sign of Aries, and the astrological spring begins (the period of the signs Aries, Taurus, Gemini).

Since the Aries sign is associated with new deeds, initiative, then at this time it is good to start implementing new projects, implementing ideas and plans. Nature is being reborn, therefore, human activity in the world must also be reborn.

Spring equinox table to 2025

A ritual to fulfill a wish

The spring solstice is a time of miracles and mysticism, when the Wheel of Fate can be turned in the right direction. Traditionally, various rituals were performed on this day. Today I will bring a spring ritual to fulfill a wish.

Important conditions: the desire should concern you personally and it should not be associated with harm to other people.

Choose a quiet place and ask not to be disturbed for half an hour. Prepare a white candle.

• Light a candle.
• Sit in a comfortable, straight back, for example, sit in a Turkish position.
• Place the candle so that it is comfortable to look at it.
• Relax. Close your eyes. Breathe evenly and slowly.
• Imagine that your wish has already come true. For example, if you want to buy a new car, then imagine yourself driving as if you are driving around the city in a brand new car. Mentally examine the registration certificate that you just received.
• Be sure to experience the emotions that a fulfilled desire will give you - delight, joy, satisfaction.
• Now place the image of the wish fulfilled in the pink sphere.
• The sphere rises up and flies into the sky, higher and higher.
• You let go of your desire, thus leaving the Universe's request to fulfill it.

Try to forget about your desire for a while. Then it will certainly come true.

Folk signs of the holiday

Signs of the vernal equinox are passed down from generation to generation among the people.

1. What thoughts and desires will be, this will be the whole year. The fact is that on March 21 an energy template is laid for the following months of the year. Therefore, thoughts must necessarily be positive, and wishes to other people only bright and kind. You can't even wish bad things to your enemies.
2. The more fun it is to meet this day, the more fun the year will be.
3. On this day, our ancestors looked for spring thaws and counted them. If you find 40 pieces, then spring will bring good luck.
4. If the day turned out to be frosty, then another 40 days of frost is expected. And if the day is warm, then there will be no night frosts.

The holiday of the spring equinox among different peoples

The vernal equinox is celebrated all over the world. Different peoples welcome spring in different ways, but they all have common features - each person rejoices at the revived Sun and is waiting for a warm welcome.

Holiday among the Slavs

The holiday of the spring equinox among the Slavs was called Soroki or Larks. The first name comes from the Forty Sebastian Martyrs - Christian warriors who refused to offer sacrifices pagan godsbecause they deeply believed in Christ.

However, even in the pre-Christian era, the vernal equinox was celebrated on a grand scale. It was believed that on this day there is a balance between light and darkness. The sun wakes up to give people warmth and harvest.

The Slavs called the Day of the Spring Equinox - Larks. According to legend, on this day migratory larks return to their homeland, followed by other migratory birds.

Before this day, any agricultural work was prohibited, since the land was still in hibernation... Now she started awakening.

For the holiday, the hostesses made ceremonial pastries from unleavened dough in the shape of larks. Often the birds were baked with their wings spread and tufted. But each hostess, of course, had her own recipe.

The baked larks were given to the children. They ran with them into the street, tossed them up, imitating the arrival of birds. Sometimes children put the birds on a stick to lift them even higher to the sun. These ritual actions were accompanied by calls for spring, the children shouted out special chants - spring clickers.

After the game, the larks were eaten, but the heads of the birds were not eaten. They were usually given to livestock.

Divination was also common. For example, the hostess baked birds, one for each family member. Inside one was a coin. Whoever gets a bird with a coin will be happy all year.

Spring Lark Baking Recipes

How do you prepare larks for the Spring Equinox? See the recipe on the video:

And here is another recipe - simpler, from yeast-free dough:

Celtic festival of Ostar

The holiday, named after the goddess of fertility of the earth by the name of Ostare, is celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox. The ancient Celts from this day opened the agricultural season.

Goddess Ostare is one of the most "ancient" goddesses, known from the second millennium BC. It is also associated with the awakening of nature, with the first herbs and flowers.

On this day, the ancient Germans performed rituals for the fertility of fields and trees in the coming season. It was customary to cleanse people from the pollution accumulated during the winter.

This holiday was popular:

• Dousing with water;
• Fumigation with smoke;
• Jumping over the fire;
• Descent of fiery wheels from the mountain;
• Throwing fire arrows.

After the arrival of Christianity, the pagan Spring Equinox merged with the Christian Annunciation.

There are two main symbols for the goddess Ostare. The first of these is the moon hare or rabbit. He symbolized fertility (everyone knows how rabbits breed) and personified rebirth.

According to legend, the goddess Ostare saw a wounded bird in the snow. He took pity on the bird and, wishing to save it from death, turned it into a hare. In a new guise, the bird was still laying eggs. Therefore, the second symbol of the holiday was considered an egg - a symbol of the Sun and the rebirth of nature.

The eggs were painted with protective symbols, as well as signs of peace, wealth, fertility, etc. The ceremony is similar to the painting of Easter eggs we are used to today.

Higan in Japan

The vernal equinox in Japan is associated with a Buddhist holiday called Higan. It is a public holiday and a day off for the Japanese.

However, the celebrations last a whole week: they start 3 days before the equinox and end 3 days after it ends. The exact date of the equinox is calculated every year at the National Observatory.

The name "higan" is translated as "that shore" or "the world where the souls of the ancestors settled." Accordingly, this is a holiday of reverence for ancestors.

Before the holiday, the Japanese carefully clean their houses and put things in order. They clean the home altar with photographs of the ancestors and their personal belongings, put fresh flowers and ritual food.

During the festive week, residents of Japan go to the graves of their deceased relatives. All ritual foods are vegetarian. This is a tribute to the Buddhist tradition not to kill any living creatures or eat meat. The menu is based on rice, vegetables, beans, root vegetables and vegetable broths.

On holidays, the Japanese visit Buddhist temples, order prayers and give ritual honors to their departed ancestors.

Soon after Higan, the cherry blossom season begins, which symbolizes a true rebirth of nature. All residents of the Land of the Rising Sun go to admire the beautiful and short-term phenomenon.

Turkic Novruz

The traditional holiday Novruz or Nauryz is celebrated by the Turkic and Iranian peoples; this is one of the most ancient holidays in the history of mankind. Has nothing to do with Islam, originated in Zoroastrianism and is associated with the astronomical phenomenon of the vernal equinox. It is considered the true beginning of the New Year.

Currently Novruz is celebrated on March 21 in Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and other countries. In Russia, this holiday is celebrated in Bashkortostan, Tatarstan and Dagestan.

They start preparing for Novruz well in advance. Be sure to clean the house, pay off debts, ask for forgiveness for the wrongs. A variety of traditional food is prepared. Necessarily a lot of sweets. It is believed that the richer the table, the happier the year will be.

Sprouted wheat greens are often displayed on the table, which symbolizes the rebirth of nature.

There is a tradition to organize a fire festival on Novruz. For example, they make a fire and dance around it. And then they jump over the fire. It is believed that this allows you to clear all ailments and problems.

Thus, the date of the vernal equinox is very important in history and culture. different nations the world. Everyone on this day greets spring, the revived sun and hopes for a rich harvest.