Equal Hours of Daylight on the Equinox
On March 20, there are twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of darkness at all points on the earth's surface. Sunrise is at 6 a.m. and sunset is at 6 p.m. local (solar) time for most points on the earth's surface. (This varies, of course, based on time zones, which are much broader regions than local solar time.)At the North Pole the sun is on the horizon of the earth's surface on the March Equinox. The sun rises at the North Pole at noon to the horizon on the March Equinox and the North Pole remains light until the September Equinox.
At the Arctic Circle, Antarctic Circle, Tropic of Cancer, and Tropic of Capricorn, as with all places on the planet, experience exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness on March 20.
At the South Pole on March 20, the sun sets at at noon after the South Pole having been light for the previous six months (since the September Equinox). The sun begins on the horizon in the morning and by the end of the day, the sun has set.
The Beginning of Spring
It has been tradition that spring "begins" on March 20, and the three other seasons begin on their solstices or equinox. However, there is no set scientific standard for the beginning of the seasons. Some consider the months of March, April, and May to be spring; this is especially true for those who study climate.The beginning of spring often represents a mild transitional climate between the extremes of winter and summer. The areas between the Tropic of Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the south effectively do not have seasons because the sun is always high in the sky and thus there is a large amount of solar radiation received throughout the year. Seasonal changes primarily impact the higher latitudes (those above 23.5 degrees).
