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Picture of the four seasons

People know there are four seasons, but do you know why? According to the National Research Council of Canada, https://nrc.canada.ca/en/certifications-evaluations-standards/canadas-official-time/3-when-do-seasons-start  , there are four astronomical seasons on Earth, defined by the movement of the sun in the sky.  The website  goes on to explain that for the northern hemisphere: spring starts at the moment when the sun is directly over the equator, going from south to north-called the vernal equinox, summer starts at the moment when the sun is farthest north, called the summer solstice, fall starts when the sun is directly over the equator, going from north to south, called the autumnal equinox, and winter starts when the sun is farthest south called the winter solstice. I did not know this… in 2024, Spring runs from March 20th to June 20th, summer from June 21st to September 21st, fall from September 22nd to December 20th, and winter from December 21st to March 19th.

These are some good images from https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/seasons.html?n=865 that assist us in seeing the seasons.

 

March Equinox

At the March equinox, the Sun crosses the equator from south to north.

 

 

June Solstice 2024

The June solstice is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest day in the Southern Hemisphere.

 

 

September Equinox

The Sun shines directly on the Equator on the September equinox and the length of day and night is nearly equal, but not quite.

 

 

December Solstice

December solstice marks the shortest day north of the equator and the longest day in the south.

 

We left summer and boldly moved on to fall on September 22nd.  I hope everyone has a chance to get outdoors and enjoy our fabulous weather this season, but for those indoor days my co-worker Mallory has pulled a few interesting books.

  • Bake the Seasons, Sweet and Savoury Dishes To Enjoy Throughout The Year by Marcella DiLonardo 641.815 DIL
  • Four Seasons in Paradise, Where we live. Why we live here-Black River-Matheson at 100 by Richard Buell in our local history section LH 770 BUE
  • A Gardener’s Guide to Frost: Outwit the Weather And Extend The Spring And Fall Seasons by Philip Harnden 635 HAR
  • Preserving: the canning and freezing guide for all seasons by Pat Crocker 641.42 CRO