First Day of Seasons: 2014
When Do Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer Begin?
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See chart below for the exact dates and times of the annualequinoxes and solstices.
Why do the seasons change? The four seasons are determined by shifting sunlight (not heat!)—which is determined by how our planet orbits the Sun and the tilt of its axis.
- On the autumnal equinox, day and night are each about 12 hours long (with the actual time of equal day and night, in the Northern Hemisphere, occurring a few days after the autumnal equinox). The Sun crosses the celestial equator going southward; it rises exactly due east and sets exactly due west. See our First Day of Fall page!
- The winter solstice is the darkest day of the year when the Sun reaches its most southern point in the sky at local noon. After this date, the days start getting "longer," i.e., the amount of daylight begins to increase. See our First Day of Winter page!
- On the vernal equinox, day and night are each approximately 12 hours long (with the actual time of equal day and night, in the Northern Hemisphere, occurring a few days before the vernal equinox). The Sun crosses the celestial equator going northward; it rises exactly due east and sets exactly due west. See our First Day of Spring page!
- On the summer solstice, we enjoy the most daylight of the calendar year. The Sun reaches its most northern point in the sky at local noon. After this date, the days start getting "shorter," i.e., the length of daylight starts to decrease. See our First Day of Summer page!
Credit: NASA
| Seasons of 2014: | |
|---|---|
| SPRING EQUINOX | March 20, 12:57 P.M. EDT |
| SUMMER SOLSTICE | June 21, 6:51 A.M. EDT |
| FALL EQUINOX | September 22, 10:29 P.M. EDT |
| WINTER SOLSTICE | December 21, 6:03 P.M. EST |
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