Equinox 2026: when day and night are equal
An equinox is the moment the sun crosses the celestial equator, when day and night are almost exactly equal length everywhere on Earth. It happens twice a year, in March and September.
In 81 days, on Wednesday, 23 September 2026.
Equinox dates
| Event | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| March equinox 2026 | Friday, 20 March 2026 | 14:45 UTC |
| September equinox 2026 | Wednesday, 23 September 2026 | 00:05 UTC |
| March equinox 2027 | Saturday, 20 March 2027 | 20:24 UTC |
| September equinox 2027 | Thursday, 23 September 2027 | 06:01 UTC |
Times are shown in UTC. Your local date can differ by a day depending on your time zone.
At an equinox the Earth’s axis is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun. The sun rises due east and sets due west, and almost everywhere on the planet gets close to twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of night.
The March equinox marks the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. The September equinox is the reverse: autumn in the north, spring in the south.
Day and night are not perfectly equal on the equinox itself. Atmospheric refraction lifts the sun’s image slightly, and sunrise and sunset are measured from the sun’s edge rather than its centre, so the day with exactly equal light falls a few days off the equinox. You can check the precise day length for any location on the interactive map.
Frequently asked questions
When is the equinox?▼
The March equinox falls on 19, 20, or 21 March, and the September equinox on 21, 22, 23, or 24 September. The exact dates and times drift slightly each year and are listed in the table above.
What happens at an equinox?▼
The sun crosses the celestial equator, so the Earth’s axis tilts neither toward nor away from it. The sun rises due east and sets due west, and daylight and night are nearly equal everywhere.
Are day and night exactly equal on the equinox?▼
Almost, but not exactly. Atmospheric refraction and the fact that sunrise and sunset are timed from the sun’s upper edge mean the day of truly equal light, called the equilux, falls a few days before or after the equinox depending on your latitude.
What is the difference between an equinox and a solstice?▼
An equinox is when day and night are equal, as the sun crosses the equator. A solstice is when the day is at its longest or shortest, as the sun reaches its highest or lowest point. Equinoxes happen in March and September, solstices in June and December.