equinox-solstices-easters

When is Easter, Equinoxes and Solstices for the Next 99 years?

Easter, History & Facts / By
Table of Contents
    Add a header to begin generating the table of contents
    equinox solstice

    Last Updated : May 20, 2022 @ 8:21 pm

    The four seasons on earth are present because of how the earth, being tilted on its axis, revolves around the sun, resulting in equinoxes and solstices which mark the beginning of seasons.

    Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon of the Spring equinox. 

    Equi what? 

    Equinox. In Latin, "Equi" means equal and "nox" means night

    What is an equinox?

    An equinox is the time during  the calendar year when the sun shines directly over the equator, resulting in 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness in both the northern and southern hemisphere of the earth.

    There are two equinoxes in a year.

      • Spring/March Equinox
      • Autumnal/September Equinox
    march-equinox-dark

    Spring (Vernal/March/Northwards) Equinox 

    The Spring equinox falls on 20 or 21 March. 

    According to the Oxford dictionary, "vernal" means spring.

    For the northern hemisphere like the United Kingdom, the Spring equinox marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring.

    As days continue, the subsolar point - the point on the earth where the sun is perceived to be directly shining perpendicularly or 90° on that point - will "creep" northwards, hence there will be longer days than nights until the Summer/June Solstice.

    The sun crosess the equator from the south to the north, hence the Spring Equinox is also called the Northwards Equinox as the solarpoint moves northwards after the spring equinox.

    For the southern hemisphere like Australia, the Spring equinox marks the end of their summer and brings in the cold wintery weather. The effects will be the opposite experienced by the northern hemisphere.

    As the days continue,  countries in the south will experience shorter days and longer nights until the June/Summer Solstice.

    During the Spring equinox, everyone on earth will experience equal 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness.

    september-equinox-dark

    Autumnal (September/Southward) Equinox 

    The Autumnal Equinox is another day when both daylight and night hours are equal for everyone on earth and it occurs on 22 or 23 September. The effects are opposite of the Spring Equinox. At this time, the sun crosess the equator from the north towards the south. 

    Countries in the north will experience the start of autumn/cold weather while those in the south experience the start of spring and warm weather.

    After the autumnal equinox,  countries in the northern hemisphere, like the UK will slowly experience longer hours of darkness and shorter hours of day until the Winter/December Solstice.

    At the same time, countries in the south like Australia will experience shorter hours of darkness and longer hours of daylight.

    What is Solstice?

    Solstice. In Latin, "sol" means "sun", and "sistere" means  "to stand still". During the Summer Solstice, the sun takes a longer time to move across the sky and seems to be "standing still" to the people in the north, hence the name. 

    The solstice is the instance during the calendar year when the earth is tilted closest to the sun. 

    There are two solstices in a year.

    june-solstice-dark

    Summer/June Solstice

     

      • Falls on either 20 or 21 June
      • Subsolar point shines on the Tropic of Cancer (latitude 23.5° north), the Northmost latitude for the year
      • Northern hemisphere marks the start of warm weather/summer with longest hours of daylight
      • Southern hemisphere marks the start of cold weather/winter with longest hours of darkness
    december-solstice-dark

    Winter/December Solstice

     

      • Falls on either 21 or 22 December
      • Subsolar point shines at the Tropic of Capricorn (latitude 23.5° south), the Southmost lattitude for the year
      • Northern hemisphere marks the start of cold weather/winter with longest hours of darkness
      • Southern hemisphere marks the start of warm weather/summer with longest hours of darkness

    Summary of Equinoxes, Solstices and Seasons 

     

      • March (Spring) Equinox - when both day and night hours are equal. Sun crosses equator from south to north.
      • From March - June, the north experiences longer day hours while south experiences longer hours of darkness. The subsolar point moves northwards.
      • June (Summer) Solstices - marks the start of summer when the north experiences the longest daylight hours or shortest number of hours of darkness. Countries in the south experience the opposite.
      • From June to September, the north experiences shorter daylight and longer hours of darkness. The subsolar point continues southwards.
      • September (autumnal) equinox - when both day and night hours are equal. The sun crosses the equator from north to south.
      • From September to December, the north experiences shorter daylight hours and longer hours of night and vice versa for countries in the south. The subsolar point continues southwards.
      • December (Winter) Solstice - marks the start of winter when the north experiences the longest hours of darkness and shortest hours of daylight. Countries in the south experience the opposite effect.
      • From December - March, the north experiences longer daylight hours and shorter hours of darkness. The subsolar point moves northwards.. until the Spring Equinox … the cycle continues.

    Below you can find the infographics to explain equinoxes and solstices.

    But Wait! There is something wrong with the infographic above.

    Can you spot the mistake?

    Easter, Equinoxes and Solstices for the Next 99 Years!
    2000 20-Mar 23-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 21-Dec
    2001 20-Mar 15-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2002 21-Mar 31-Mar 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2003 21-Mar 20-Apr 22-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2004 20-Mar 11-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 21-Dec
    2005 20-Mar 27-Mar 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2006 21-Mar 16-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2007 21-Mar 8-Apr 22-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2008 20-Mar 23-Mar 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2009 20-Mar 12-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2010 21-Mar 4-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2011 21-Mar 24-Apr 22-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2012 20-Mar 8-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2013 20-Mar 31-Mar 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2014 21-Mar 20-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2015 21-Mar 5-Apr 22-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2016 20-Mar 27-Mar 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2017 20-Mar 16-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2018 21-Mar 1-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2019 21-Mar 21-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2020 20-Mar 12-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2021 20-Mar 4-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 21-Dec
    2022 20-Mar 17-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2023 21-Mar 9-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2024 20-Mar 31-Mar 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2025 20-Mar 20-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 21-Dec
    2026 20-Mar 5-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2027 21-Mar 28-Mar 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2028 20-Mar 16-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2029 20-Mar 1-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 21-Dec
    2030 20-Mar 21-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2031 21-Mar 13-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2032 20-Mar 28-Mar 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2033 20-Mar 17-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 21-Dec
    2034 20-Mar 9-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2035 21-Mar 25-Mar 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2036 20-Mar 13-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2037 20-Mar 5-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 21-Dec
    2038 20-Mar 25-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2039 21-Mar 10-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2040 20-Mar 1-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2041 20-Mar 21-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2042 20-Mar 6-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2043 21-Mar 29-Mar 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2044 20-Mar 17-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2045 20-Mar 9-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2046 20-Mar 25-Mar 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2047 21-Mar 14-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2048 20-Mar 5-Apr 20-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2049 20-Mar 18-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2050 20-Mar 10-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2051 20-Mar 2-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2052 20-Mar 21-Apr 20-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2053 20-Mar 6-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2054 20-Mar 29-Mar 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2055 20-Mar 18-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2056 20-Mar 2-Apr 20-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2057 20-Mar 22-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2058 20-Mar 14-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 21-Dec
    2059 20-Mar 30-Mar 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2060 20-Mar 18-Apr 20-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2061 20-Mar 10-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2062 20-Mar 26-Mar 21-Jun 23-Sep 21-Dec
    2063 20-Mar 15-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2064 20-Mar 6-Apr 20-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2065 20-Mar 29-Mar 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2066 20-Mar 11-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 21-Dec
    2067 20-Mar 3-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2068 20-Mar 22-Apr 20-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2069 20-Mar 14-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2070 20-Mar 30-Mar 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2071 20-Mar 19-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2072 20-Mar 10-Apr 20-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2073 20-Mar 26-Mar 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2074 20-Mar 15-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2075 20-Mar 7-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2076 20-Mar 19-Apr 20-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2077 20-Mar 11-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2078 20-Mar 3-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2079 20-Mar 23-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2080 20-Mar 7-Apr 20-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2081 20-Mar 30-Mar 20-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2082 20-Mar 19-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2083 20-Mar 4-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2084 20-Mar 26-Mar 20-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2085 20-Mar 15-Apr 20-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2086 20-Mar 31-Mar 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2087 20-Mar 20-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 22-Dec
    2088 19-Mar 11-Apr 20-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2089 20-Mar 3-Apr 20-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2090 20-Mar 16-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2091 20-Mar 8-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 21-Dec
    2092 19-Mar 30-Mar 20-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2093 20-Mar 12-Apr 20-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2094 20-Mar 4-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2095 20-Mar 24-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 21-Dec
    2096 19-Mar 15-Apr 20-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2097 20-Mar 31-Mar 20-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2098 20-Mar 20-Apr 21-Jun 22-Sep 21-Dec
    2099 20-Mar 12-Apr 21-Jun 23-Sep 21-Dec

    You May Also Like..

    Leave a Comment

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Scroll to Top