UNITED KINGDOM: The European Space Agency (ESA) has shared a stunning satellite image that captures the precise moment when day and night achieve equilibrium on our planet. This awe-inspiring photograph, unveiled on X (formerly known as Twitter), serves as a visual testament to the changing seasons and the science of equinoxes.
The Meteosat satellite’s image shows the Earth perfectly divided in half by the line between light and shadow. This division marks the moment when the Sun crossed the celestial equator in the sky, signaling the arrival of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.
The term “equinox” derives from two Latin words, “aequus” (equal) and “nox” (night), aptly describing this astronomical event. During the equinox, the duration of day and night approaches equality, offering a symbolic balance that mirrors the changing of the seasons.
The ESA shared the mesmerizing image with the caption, “Winter is coming. Day and night are split in half today as the Sun crossed the celestial equator in the sky at 07:50 BST/08:50 CEST marking the autumn equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. This #Meteosat image was taken at 09:00 BST/10:00 CEST this morning.”
Since its release, the image has garnered widespread attention and admiration across social media platforms. Users from around the world have marveled at the beauty and significance of the equinox, celebrating the marvels of our planet and the cosmos.
The autumn equinox heralds the astronomical beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere. At this time, the Sun embarks on its journey southward after six months of shining directly on the northern half of Earth.
It reaches a point where, at the official start time of autumn, the Sun would appear directly overhead from a location in the Laccadive Sea, situated on the equator approximately 170 miles (275 kilometers) northeast of Addu City in the Maldives.
The equinox phenomenon is a result of the Earth’s axial tilt, which causes different regions of the planet to experience varying amounts of sunlight and warmth throughout the year.
During the equinox, the Earth’s axis and orbit align in a way that distributes sunlight almost equally to both the northern and southern hemispheres.
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