MUSCAT : Asma bint Salem Al Farsi, a member of the society, announced that the equinox will occur at 1:07 pm Oman time, with the sun positioned directly over the equator. In Muscat Governorate, the sun will rise at 6:11 am, reach its zenith at 12:14 pm, and set at 6:18 pm, resulting in a day length of approximately 12 hours, 7 minutes, and 24 seconds.

Asma Al Farsi explained that this natural phenomenon results from the Earth’s axis tilting at a 23.5-degree angle as it orbits the sun. This tilt causes seasonal variations in solar radiation across the hemispheres, leading to the vernal equinox, where day and night are nearly equal. She further noted that the vernal equinox usually falls on March 20, 21, or 22 each year due to the slight difference between the calendar year and the tropical year, the time it takes Earth to complete its orbit around the sun. To keep the calendar aligned with the tropical year, a leap day is added every four years.

The vernal equinox marks the moment when the sun moves from the southern hemisphere, which includes regions like Australia, South America, and Africa, to the northern hemisphere, encompassing North America, Europe, Asia, and the North Pole.

The equinox also signals the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere and autumn in the southern hemisphere. After tomorrow, daylight will gradually surpass night as the days lengthen in the northern hemisphere, leading up to the summer solstice.

Asma Al Farsi pointed out that the vernal equinox is one of four key astronomical events that define the seasons, alongside the summer solstice, autumnal equinox, and winter solstice. These phenomena are governed by the sun’s position relative to the equator and geographical latitude, shaping the length of days and nights throughout the year.

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