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Autumnal Equinox Arrives Sept. 22 at 18:19 UTC, Marking Start of Astronomical Fall

Civil clock changes happen later, not at the equinox.

Visitors take selfies in front of light installations at Victoria Park in Hong Kong during the Mid-Autumn Festival in September 2022.
Sunrise illuminates fall colors in the Adirondacks in New York state. More than 40 peaks in the chain reach over 4,000 feet (1,219 meters).
The residents of New Delhi, India, will have almost 12 hours and eight minutes of sunlight on the fall equinox on September 22. The closest date to an even 12/12 split for the capital of India will be September 27, when it will have 11 hours and 19 seconds of daylight.
People participate in fire rituals during the Autumn Equinox celebration on the embankment of Neris river near King Mindaugas' Bridge in Vilnius, Lithuania, Friday, Sept. 20, 2019. Lithuanians celebrate equinox every year around Sept. 20-22 when the day equates to night. Spectacular fire signs and music mystery play are held in Vilnius center at that time. The tradition began in 1992, but it is in accordance with the ancient pagan rituals and symbolize a victory of light against dark. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)

Overview

  • The equinox occurs when the sun is directly above Earth’s equator, bringing nearly equal daylight and darkness worldwide.
  • The exact moment falls at 2:19 p.m. Eastern on Sept. 22, starting fall in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • From the equinox, the Northern Hemisphere transitions to longer nights than days until the winter solstice on Dec. 21.
  • No time shift happens at the equinox: U.S. daylight saving time ends Nov. 2, and the UK moves to GMT on Oct. 26 and remains there until March 29, 2026.
  • Regional effects are already noticeable, with Boston losing just over 2 minutes 50 seconds of daylight per day this week and about 1 hour 22 minutes over September as the sun angle lowers.