Today marks the beginning of astronomical spring—the day of the spring equinox. This was announced by Levon Azizyan, Director of the Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center.
According to him, at 18:46 Yerevan time, the Sun will move from the southern hemisphere of the sky to the northern hemisphere, marking the official start of astronomical spring.
The spring equinox is considered one of the most interesting astronomical phenomena. It is commonly believed that day and night are equal in length worldwide on this day. However, experts note that this is not entirely accurate due to a phenomenon known as atmospheric refraction.
Starting from March 20, the seasons effectively “switch places” between the hemispheres: spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere, while autumn starts in the Southern Hemisphere. Astronomical spring will last until the summer solstice on June 21.
It is also noteworthy that the spring equinox plays an important role in calculating the date of Easter. Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the equinox. This year, it will be observed on April 5.
