This summer felt like trudging through a never-ending tunnel.
From the onset till the peak of summer, it was humid, cloudy, and the rain was relentless, like the world was ending. Every night I’d think, ‘Today was a mess, but tomorrow will be better.’ Yet, the next day was always worse. If I had a seasonal coordinator nearby, I’d want to give them a swift kick. Honestly, it was the worst summer I’ve ever experienced. As I endured each day, I suddenly noticed on the calendar that next Friday is already the equinox.
The equinox is when day and night are of equal length, thanks to the sun crossing the celestial equator. Even if the term is a bit hazy for many, it’s okay not to remember everything from school. Accepting cosmic concepts wasn’t easy back then. (A study on teachers’ understanding of astronomy even shows low comprehension, so don’t feel discouraged.)
No one might be curious, but if we explain why day and night are equal using the celestial coordinate system, it’s like this: Imagine Earth as the universe’s center. Suddenly, the sun orbits Earth. It’s like when trees seem to move from your perspective as you walk. (If this confuses you, just let it go. It’s not vital for daily life.) The sun orbits the Earth once a year, called the ecliptic path. The Earth’s axis is tilted, which causes seasons and varying day lengths, but if we assume it’s straight in the celestial system, the sun follows a slightly tilted path. Are you following? 🌞
When the sun and I are in the same hemisphere (like position A in the diagram), the day is longer. Conversely, on the opposite side (position C), the night is longer. The equinoxes (position B) are where the ecliptic meets the celestial equator, making day and night equal. 🌍 This happens in spring and autumn in the northern hemisphere, and opposite in the southern. These are collectively called the Equinoxes — March Equinox and September Equinox.
Honestly, I didn’t plan to delve into equinoxes; I wanted to reminisce about a recent summer weekend. Sunday morning, after a quick meal, I noticed the weather was lovely. As I took my bike out, the humid, warm air hit me under the clear sky. It felt like someone was whispering,
‘It’s still summer.’
My smartphone showed 26.5 degrees. Tropical nights are defined when temperatures don’t fall below 25 degrees at night, so it was undoubtedly a hot day. I jumped on my bike and raced into the sticky air. Soon, the breeze cooled to the perfect temperature, wrapping me in comfort. It was the perfect day for a bike ride in short sleeves and shorts. Days like this call for Dynamic Duo’s ‘Wing Bone.’ It’s funny how scratching my wife’s shoulder blade reminds me of that melody… Annoying, really. When I think of wing bones, I only think of hot wings or cartilage. Anyway, it was a day to add a happy memory to the love-hate relationship with the dwindling summer. 🌤️🚴♂️
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