Vernal Equinox 2025: Date, Time, and the Science Behind the Event
The upcoming vernal equinox is set to take place on March 20. 2025, marking the transition into spring in the Northern Hemisphere while the Southern Hemisphere moves into autumn. This astronomical event occurs twice a year when day and night are nearly equal in length across the globe. The phenomenon is attributed to Earth’s axial tilt of approximately 23.5 degrees, which determines how sunlight is distributed throughout the year. The equinox signifies a point where the planet is neither tilted towards nor away from the Sun, resulting in almost equal hours of daylight and darkness.
What Causes the Equinox?
According to research, the equinox occurs due to Earth’s orbital movement around the Sun while maintaining a fixed axial tilt. The alignment ensures that the Sun is positioned directly above the equator. This leads to an even distribution of sunlight across both hemispheres, creating a balance between daytime and nighttime hours. However, complete equality is not achieved as atmospheric refraction and the Sun’s apparent size cause a slight variation in the actual duration of daylight. Reports indicate that locations at the equator receive approximately 12 hours and 6 minutes of daylight, while regions at higher latitudes may experience slightly longer daylight hours.
Equinox Dates and Variations
Sources confirm that equinoxes do not always fall on the exact same date each year. While typically occurring around March 20 and September 22, slight variations arise due to the additional fraction of a day in Earth’s annual orbit. The timing of the equinox shifts gradually as the extra quarter-day accumulates, influencing the calendar date. Meteorologically, spring is considered to begin on March 1, while the astronomical definition aligns with the equinox.
Cultural Significance and Historical Observations
Ancient civilisations have long tracked equinoxes, incorporating them into agricultural cycles and cultural practices. Historical records highlight that structures such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia and El Castillo in Mexico were designed to align with the equinoxes, demonstrating their significance in early astronomy. The phenomenon continues to hold importance in various traditions, with some cultures observing it as a time of reflection and seasonal transition.
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Vernal Equinox, Spring Equinox, March Equinox, Equinox 2025, Earth’s Orbit, Astronomy, Daylight, Nighttime, Seasonal Changes, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere
An Egyptologist claims that he has accidentally found a series of secret hieroglyphic inscriptions on an iconic 3300-year-old Egyptian obelisk in Paris. This inscriptions are claimed to be meant for Egypt’s nobility, and they are likely propaganda praising the famous pharaoh Ramesses II to be ordained by the divine entities. Apparently, the pharaoh himself commissioned this obelisk at the beginning of his rule, and it originally stood outside of the Luxor temple in upper Egypt alongside another similar obelisk. Both monuments were later gifted to France by Pasha Muhammed Ali, the sultan of the Ottoman Empire.a series of secret hieroglyphic inscriptions on an iconic 3300-year-old Egyptian obelisk in Paris.
Discovery of the hidden inscription
According to a comment published by Sciences et Avenir from Jean-Guillaume Olette-Pelletier, the Egyptologist from the Institut Catholique de Paris, the hieroglyphs indicated the entrance to the Luxor Temple portico. He discovered that there was no literature discussing the different scenes, so he studied the images from afar. He eventually discovered that the obelisk contained hieroglyphic cryptographies or hidden messages. These encrypted texts were often secret texts inserted into hieroglyphs or hidden in 3D carvings. Only the elite could decipher these hidden messages.
The hidden messages on the “Seine side” of the obelisk could only be read at a 45° angle. Olette-Pelletier discovered that the hidden messages were intended to be seen by nobles arriving by boat at the temple of Luxor during the annual Opet festival, celebrating the return of the life forces of the god Amun.
Further studies and criticism
According to Olette-Pelletier, he has discovered other concealed messages on the obelisk. He pointed out, for example, that there are two rows of hieroglyphs that, depending on how they are read, might convey several meanings, such as stating that Ramesses II had endless life or writing out his whole royal name.
The findings are set to be published in the journal Égypte Nilotique et Méditerranéenne. However, scholars who were not involved in the research have urged caution in interpreting the findings, as they will not be able to review them in depth until the study is published. Egyptology professor Filip Taterka told Live Science that the inscriptions and imagery near the top of the obelisk would not have been visible to a noble person traveling by boat on the Nile.
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An Soviet Union lander is heading back into Earth’s atmosphere after 52 years staying in the orbit. Soviet Union’s Cosmos 482 was launched on March 31, 1972 and was supposed to land on Venus under the U.S.S.R.’s Venera programme. However, due to a certain malfunction, it could not leave Earth’s orbit and kept rotating around for 52 years. Its body was split into two halves; the main one crashed back to Earth, and the other section, the lander, got trapped in the Earth’s orbit.
Lander Returns to Earth
According to study, the lander is re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere and is expected to come back between May 8 to May 14. The most probable date is May 11, calculated based on the orbital data provided by satellite expert Marco Langbroek. This crash landing could occur anywhere between 52 degrees north and south of the equator, roughly from Quebec to Patagonia. According to NASA, the lander weighs around 1100 pounds, the weight of a car.
What Does it Look Like
This lander was designed to survive the way through the atmosphere of Venus, so there might be a possibility that it can survive the reentry into Earth’s atmosphere and remain intact with possibly no impact. However, the risks are not too high, but still not negligible, said Langbroek while speaking to Live Science.
Ralf Vandebergh, the advanced astrographer, used a camera attached to the telescope for tracking the orbiting satellites. Some images reveal that it might be the released parachute of the Cosmos 482, however, there is still no certainty, as it is surprising if the parachute will still work after so many years.
Cosmos 482 as Sister Probe to Venera 8
Cosmos 482 was built after Venera 8 as a sister probe. However, Venera 8 became the second craft to land on the hot surface of Venus during the same year, 1972. It beamed data from Venus for 50 minutes before getting burned by the scorching heat of Venus.
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