Vernal equinox occurs on 21 March this year: NARIT

The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) announced on Monday that this year’s vernal equinox will occur on March 20.

The vernal equinox, also known as the spring equinox, is a significant astronomical event that marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

It is one of two equinoxes that occur each year, the other being the autumnal equinox. It is the moment when the Sun crosses the celestial equator, moving from south to north, resulting in roughly equal amounts of daylight and night-time across the Earth.

When the vernal equinox occurs, the Earth is positioned so that its axis is neither tilted towards nor away from the Sun. It can happen on either March 20 or 21, varying from year to year.

NARIT stated in a Facebook post that on March 21, the Sun will rise at 6:22 am and set at 6:28 pm, Bangkok time.
The institute added that the next significant astronomical phenomenon related to sunrise and sunset will take place on June 21, known as the summer solstice.

The summer solstice marks the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. At this point, the Earth's axis is tilted most directly towards the Sun, resulting in the longest day and shortest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Conversely, it marks the shortest day and longest night in the Southern Hemisphere.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice typically occurs around June 20 or 21, with the precise date varying slightly each year.