Daylight takes over ... any astronomers here?

[Tommy]

It's one of those meaningless little late winter events that always boosts my spirits. Today is March 17, 2021 and here in the beautiful lakes & mountains region of New Hampshire it's the date when the days finally become longer than the nights. Knowing that this will be the case for the next six months always seems to brighten my mood.

As a kid I was taught that this happens on the spring equinox - the proverbial "first day of spring" - (this year June 20) which just isn't the case. By then, our days will be a full nine minutes longer than our nights. Does anyone here understand this discrepancy?

 

[ohioboy]

It really doesn't have a connection to Astronomy, imo, just the Earth's rotation, etc.

On the order of why we have leap year. A year is 365 1/4 days, so every 4 years time has to correct for the catch up.

Like in Point Barrow Alaska, the Sun does not set all year, can't remember the specific months/day. Alaska at one time stretched through 4 Time Zones.

"Specifically" I don't know.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I don't understand it but in March we have the vernal equinox and in June we have the summer solstice.

The vernal equinox, two moments in the year when the Sun is exactly above the Equator and day and night are of equal length; also, either of the two points in the sky where the ecliptic (the Sun's annual pathway) and the celestial equator intersect.

Summer solstice, the two moments during the year when the path of the Sun in the sky is farthest north in the Northern Hemisphere (June 20 or 21) or farthest south in the Southern Hemisphere (December 21 or 22).

 

[chic]

The Vernal ( spring equinox ) is March 21. June 21 is Midsummer or the summer solstice.

 

[SetWave]

Spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere with the vernal equinox on March 20, 2021, at 09:37 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time).

 

[Repondering]

We experience the endless cycle of the earth's seasons.....the winter solstice is the shortest day and the longest night; the days then become steadily longer. Then comes the vernal equinox when day and night are of equal duration. Then comes the summer solstice, the longest day and the shortest night. Then comes the autumnal equinox and day and night are of equal duration again. Then comes the winter solstice again. And so it goes......Those are the four quarter points of the earth's annual motion around the sun. The points on the east and west horizon where the sun rises and sets also move......a little bit every day.....at the winter solstice the sunrise is at the south end of the east horizon, at the summer solstice it's at the north end of the east horizon. Ancient peoples put up huge stones that aligned with one another and the sunrise on the winter solstice......midwinter to them......the days began to lengthen then. Go to Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England and look.