Bulgaria Meets Vernal Equinox With Snow, Sun Gleams
Society | March 20, 2008, Thursday
Bulgaria welcomed Thursday the first day of spring of 2008 covered with a snow blanket. Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (Sofia Photo Agency)
Bulgaria welcomed Thursday the first day of spring of 2008 covered with a snow blanket but still enjoying sunny gleams.
This year's vernal equinox is observed at 07:48 a.m.. This is the event when the Sun can be observed to be directly above the Earth's equator, occurring around March 20 and September 23 each year.
More technically, the equinox happens when the Sun is at one of two opposite points on the celestial sphere where the celestial equator and ecliptic intersect. In a wider sense, the equinoxes are the two days each year when the center of the Sun spends an equal amount of time above and below the horizon at every location on Earth.
The word equinox derives from the Latin words aequus (equal) and nox (night).
One of the effects of equinoctial periods is their temporary disruptive effect on communications satellites. For most geostationary satellites, there is almost always a point when the sun is directly behind the satellite relative to Earth. The Sun's immense power and broad radiation spectrum overload the Earth station's reception circuits with noise and temporarily disrupt or degrade the circuit. The duration of those effects varies but can range from an hour to a few minutes.
Folk tales from various European countries claim that only on the March equinox day (some may add the September equinox day or may explicitly not), one can balance an egg on its point. However you can balance an egg on its point any day of the year if you have the patience.
This year's vernal equinox is observed at 07:48 a.m.. This is the event when the Sun can be observed to be directly above the Earth's equator, occurring around March 20 and September 23 each year.
More technically, the equinox happens when the Sun is at one of two opposite points on the celestial sphere where the celestial equator and ecliptic intersect. In a wider sense, the equinoxes are the two days each year when the center of the Sun spends an equal amount of time above and below the horizon at every location on Earth.
The word equinox derives from the Latin words aequus (equal) and nox (night).
One of the effects of equinoctial periods is their temporary disruptive effect on communications satellites. For most geostationary satellites, there is almost always a point when the sun is directly behind the satellite relative to Earth. The Sun's immense power and broad radiation spectrum overload the Earth station's reception circuits with noise and temporarily disrupt or degrade the circuit. The duration of those effects varies but can range from an hour to a few minutes.
Folk tales from various European countries claim that only on the March equinox day (some may add the September equinox day or may explicitly not), one can balance an egg on its point. However you can balance an egg on its point any day of the year if you have the patience.
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