The vernal equinox, the moment at which the center of the visible sun is directly above the equator, will be visible Thursday night, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
Allain Joy Lusoc, PAGASA weather specialist, said aside from having the same length of day and night, the vernal equinox also marks the start of spring in the northern hemisphere and autumn in the southern hemisphere.
“Ngayon din araw, March 21, may vernal equinox, ibig sabihin nyan ay halos magiging pantay ‘yong haba ng oras ng umaga at ng gabi, so ‘yan din ang magiging hudyat ng spring dito sa northern hemisphere, kung di ako nagkakamali at autumn sa southern hemisphere, ‘yan ‘yong nagiging hudyat dyan pero di kasama ang bandang Pilipinas,” Lusoc said.
A vernal equinox is globally observe especially at the equator and on the countries near it and occurs twice a year on which the second occurrence will be around the month of September.
He said that the sunset was estimated to set at 6:25 p.m.
Based on the PAGASA Astronomical Diary, the sun’s motion allows passing of the First Point of Aries or the Vernal Equinox, an imaginary location in the sky defined on the coordinate system as a place where the ecliptic and celestial equator meet.
“The Sun’s motion allows it to pass the First Point of Aries (known as Vernal Equinox), an imaginary location in the sky defined in our coordinate system as a place where the ecliptic and the celestial equator meet. It marks the zero point of the Right Ascension grid, the celestial equivalent of longitude on Earth. Due to the wobbling motion of the Earth known as “precession”, the First Point of Aries now lies in Pisces,” it said.
He added that the sun reached the said point on March 21 at 5:58 a.m.
Lusoc said skies will be bright so the full moon will not be very noticeable.
“Sa ganitong oras, cloudy din tayo tapos medyo tirik ang araw natin, bright sya kaya di natin ma-access yong moon talaga plus dito sa portion natin, sa kalagayan natin medyo kung titignan natin, nasa ilalim ang buwan. Yong mga lugar na makikita talaga yong full moon ay doon sa mga lihis talaga sa Pilipinas, yong medyo dark pa sa kanila,” he added.
