The Vernal/Spring Equinox

This year, the Spring (or Vernal) Equinox takes place on Saturday 20 March and marks the welcome return of astronomical Spring to our chilly climes.

It’s often said that the Spring Equinox is when we have days and nights of roughly equal length, but the truth is, that depends on where you are in the world and how close you are to the equator. In reality, the Vernal Equinox is when the sun appears to cross the Equator from the south to the north – bringing with it our Spring and Summer seasons.

To find out when days and nights will be of equal length for you, you need to know your current latitude and then click on this handy page to check the table to see when is the closest day of balance for you.

It’s easy to find out what latitude you are at by using our old friend google and typing in your current location and ‘latitude’ and up it will come. Rothesay in Scotland is 55 degrees north. When I click on the above link, there is a table that shows me the best approximation for the day when darkness and light draw approximately even, for the Spring Equinox and then when the hours of darkness draw even with the hours of light at the Autumn Equinox. So, bung them in your diary!

If you are studying along with the Wildwood Tarot folks on instagram or facebook for a whole year of focussing on the cards of this deck as and when they arise on the Wheel of the Year, we will be supported by Stag and Archer in the Northern Hemisphere. Remember, if you are taking part, use the #wwtstudy so that we can find your posts easily!

Of course, for our cousins south of the Equator, we are approaching the Autumnal Equinox and the support will be from Wheel and Mirror as the days grow shorter down under.