SHREVEPORT, La. ( KTAL/KMSS ) — The autumnal equinox is considered the first day of fall, but it’s so much more than that.
The word equinox comes from two Latin words: “aequus,” meaning equal, and “nox,” meaning night, the National Weather Service explains on its website.
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According to Britannica , the fall equinox is one of two moments in the year when the sun is exactly above the equator. The celestial event happens annually around Sept. 22 or Sept. 23 in the Northern Hemisphere and on March 19 or March 20 in the Southern Hemisphere.
Days will continue to shorten until the winter solstice in December, but during the equinox, day and night are roughly equal. According to the Famer’s Almanac , the full moon closest to the equinox is called the “Harvest Moon” because it provides farmers with enough light to complete their harvests before the first hard frosts arrive.
Daylight and photosynthesis cause leaves to develop the bright, warm colors of fall. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) explains that as the days get shorter, chemical changes happen that cause the green chlorophyll to break down and fade. This allows other colors — such as reds, yellows, and oranges — to show through.