Even though the weather may not be cooperating with tulip bulbs and gardeners, spring is actually, finally, really here! Yesterday, March 20th, was the first official day of spring, if you mark the seasons according to the astronomical method. Surprisingly, there is another way which people use in order to record when the first day of spring should be acknowledged. This newer method, called the meteorological calendar method, states that spring already began three weeks ago!
Here are some facts about the two different types of spring seasons that are celebrated in the calendar year:
The astronomical method, the one most people and calendars follow, places spring between the dates of March 20th and June 21st.- The meteorological calendar indicates that spring occurs from March 1st to May 31st.
- The meteorological calendar method coordinates with the dates and months of the year by splitting the year into four 3-month sections. Spring is from March until May, summer is from June until August, autumn is from September until November, and winter is from December until February.
- The astronomical method announces the first day of spring when the earth’s rotational axis is at a 23.5 degree angle in relation to its orbit around the sun. As a result, the earth and the sun line up in a perfect combination in order to bring warmer temperatures and more sunshine.
- In spring and fall, equinoxes occur; in winter and summer, solstices occur.
- Yesterday, March 20th, was the spring equinox. An equinox is a phenomenon in which the amount of daylight is exactly the same as the amount of darkness in a 24-hour period. After this day, the length of daylight hours will continue to increase until the summer solstice on June 21st.
- A solstice occurs when the earth’s rotation around the sun causes it to reach its northernmost latitude and then start slowly moving back to the south. As a result, this day will either be the day with the most daylight (in summer) or the day with the most darkness (in winter).
The perfectly timed changes within our solar system that bring about these seasons are another obvious reference to the wisdom and ability of our Creator. Being so orderly and purposeful, His creation can bring anyone to amazement when one simply views the beauty of it. Definitely, we are blessed to be able to see God’s handiwork through the many fresh beginnings of the spring season. As green sprouts begin to shoot up into new stalks and bulbs begin to unfold into beautiful flowers, let us all remember the new life that we have in Christ, and thank Him for the ‘seed’ that was once planted in us.
