Vernal equinox: Daytime to be almost as long as nighttime on March 21
Daytime and nighttime will be almost of equal length on Tuesday, March 21, during an astronomical event called the vernal equinox.
In its monthly astronomical diary, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the vernal equinox—also known as the March equinox—marks the first day of spring for those in the northern hemisphere and the first day of autumn for those in the southern hemisphere.
“During equinoxes, the day and night are each approximately 12 hours long as the Sun is directly pointing over the Earth’s equator. And also, on this day, the Sun exactly rises due east and exactly sets due west,” PAGASA said.
On Tuesday, the sun will rise in the Philippines at 6 a.m. and set at 6:07 p.m.
Following the vernal equinox, the days start to get a little longer and the nights get shorter in the country.
The Philippines is above the equator and part of the northern hemisphere. Although there is no spring season in the country, the weather is warm and dry from March to May during the hot and dry season.
Each year, equal lengths of day and night occur twice a year during the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, in March and September, respectively.