Vernal equinox 2023 brings spring to the Northern Hemisphere with a not-so-equal timing twist

an illustration depicting a landscape under the night sky on the left and the daytime sky on the right

It's time to say goodbye to winter - at least in the Northern Hemisphere.

On Monday (March 20) at 5:24 p.m. EDT (2:24 p.m. PDT) the spring (or vernal) equinox occurs. At that moment, the sun comes to one of two places where its rays shine directly down on the equator. It will then be shining equally on both halves of the Earth.