When is the autumn equinox 2023 and what does it mean?

For many, autumn evokes feelings of melancholy and post-vacation syndrome, but others approach it more positively, motivated by the new beginnings and challenges that lie ahead..

Like every year, autumn will officially begin with the equinox, an astronomical phenomenon in which the Sun is located at the closest point to the equator.. In 2023, the equinox in Spain will occur exactly at 8:49 in the morning on Saturday, September 23. From that moment on, we can officially say that we are in autumn.

Meaning of the equinox

During the summer, our hemisphere receives a greater amount of sunlight, and therefore the days in recent months have been longer and warmer.. But, at the time of the equinox, both hemispheres receive sunlight equally, and from then on they increasingly concentrate a little more on the other hemisphere, causing the days to get shorter and colder in ours.. But before that, when the equinox occurs on September 23, day and night will have the same length.

This process will culminate on the winter solstice, next December 22, when the Sun has moved as far away from our hemisphere as possible.. It is important not to confuse equinox (which is when both hemispheres receive the same sunlight) with solstice (when one of them receives the maximum and the other the minimum).. The equinoxes mark the beginning of spring and autumn, while the solstices welcome summer and winter.

The term equinox has its origin in the Latin word aequinoctium, which could be translated as “the night is the same.” Among other things, autumn is characterized by lower temperatures compared to summer, but meteorologists have warned that this autumn will be hotter than usual, and on the other hand they point out that there could be more intense rains than in the normal periods. autumnal ones from previous years.