My last post on Facebook wished my friends a “Happy, happy Equinox”. One friend’s comment asked “What does that mean?” It’s now a few days past the equinox but here goes….

Very simply put, an equinox occurs when the center of the sun appears directly above the Earth’s equator. This happens twice yearly, in March and September. Some say that during an equinox the length of the day equals the length of the night. That’s not quite true, the equalization of day and night usually occurs a few days before the Spring Equinox and a few days after the Fall Equinox. After the Fall Equinox, the days become shorter until Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year.                                                                                  The moon on 9/23/2010

This year, the Autumnal Equinox coincided with a full moon, displaying in all its glory, a true Harvest Moon. This heavenly event happened last in 1991 and won’t again until 2029. In days past, the Fall Equinox signaled a time of harvest and preparation for winter. For others, it was and is a time of reflection, rest, and transition after the busy seasons of Spring and Summer.

Taubotne