Solstices and Equinoxes [Dates and Times]

Equinoxes and solstices are two of the most important celestial events on Earth. The equinoxes occur around March 20 and September 22 each year, corresponding to an equal length of day and night. The Earth tilts on its axis so that the sun shines directly over the equator on these days.

Equinox

The equinoxes, or “equal nights,” happen twice a year: around March 20 and September 21. Equinox comes from Latin, meaning “equal night.” The two equinoxes occur in March and September; the two solstices occur in June and December.

The northern hemisphere experiences a summer solstice when the sun is directly overhead at its farthest north point in the sky. This happens around June 21 each year. In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s around December 21 each year.

Solstices

As the winter solstice approaches, the sun will be directly overhead at its farthest south point in the sky. This happens around December 21 each year. In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s around June 21 each year.

In addition to equinoxes and solstices, two other astronomical periods occur yearly: perihelion and aphelion. These are times when Earth is closest or furthest from the sun (respectively).

Date and Time for Solstices and Equinoxes

The following are the times and dates of equinoxes and solstices from 2017 to 2030. These times are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Coordinated Universal Time is 5 hours ahead of Eastern Time (ET). For example, 3:31 am Tuesday, Eastern Time (ET) is 8:31 am Tuesday, Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

Year	Vernal Equinox (UTC)	Summer Solstice (UTC)	Fall Equinox (UTC)	Winter Solstice (UTC)
2017	Mar 20 — 10:29 am	June 21 — 04:25 am	September22 — 08:02 pm	December 21 — 04:29 pm
2018	Mar 20 — 04:15 pm	June 21 — 10:07 am	September23 — 01: 54 am	December 21 — 10:22 pm
2019	Mar 20 — 09:58 pm	June 21 — 03:54 pm	September23 — 07: 50 am	December 22 — 04:19 am
2020	Mar 20 — 03:50 am	June 20 — 09:43 pm	September22 — 01: 31 pm	December 21 — 10:03 am
2021	Mar 20 — 09:37 am	June 21 — 03:32 am	September22 — 07: 21 pm	December 21 — 03:59 pm
2022	Mar 20 — 03:33 pm	June 21 — 09:14 am	September23 — 01: 04 am	December 21 — 09:48 pm
2023	Mar 20 — 09:25 pm	June 21 — 02:58 pm	September23 — 06: 50 am	December 22 — 03:28 am
2024	Mar 20 — 03:07 am	June 20 — 08:51 pm	September22 — 12: 44 pm	December 21 — 09:20 am
2025	Mar 20 — 09:02 am	June 21 — 02:42 pm	September22 — 06: 20 pm	December 21 — 03:03 pm
2026	Mar 20 — 02:46 pm	June 21 — 08:25 am	September23 — 12: 06 am	December 21 — 08:50 pm
2027	Mar 20 — 08:25 pm	June 21 — 02:11 pm	September23 — 06: 02 am	December 22 — 02:43 am
2028	Mar 20 — 03:15 pm	June 20 — 08:02 pm	September22 — 11: 45 am	December 21 — 07:19 am
2029	Mar 20 — 08:02 am	June 21 — 01:45 am	September22 — 05: 38 am	December 21 — 01:14 am
2030	Mar 20 — 01:52 pm	June 21 — 07:31 am	September22 — 11: 27 pm	December 21 — 07:09 pm
2031	Mar 20 — 07:41 pm	June 21 — 01:17 am	September23 — 05: 15 am	December 22 — 01:56 am
2032	Mar 20 — 01:23 am	June 20 — 07:09 pm	September22 — 11: 11 am	December 21 — 07:57 am
2033	Mar 20 — 07:23 am	June 21 — 01:01 am	September22 — 04: 52 pm	December 21 — 01:45 pm
2034	Mar 20 — 01:18 pm	June 21 — 06:45 am	September22 — 10: 41 pm	December 21 — 07:35 pm
2035	Mar 20 — 07:03 pm	June 21 — 12:33 pm	September23 — 04: 39 am	December 22 — 01:31 am
2036	Mar 20 — 01:02 am	June 20 — 06:31 pm	September22 — 10: 23 am	December 21 — 07:12 am
2037	Mar 20 — 06:50 am	June 21 — 12:22 am	September22 — 04: 13 pm	December 21 — 01:08 pm
2038	Mar 20 — 12:40 pm	June 21 — 06:09 am	September22 — 10: 02 pm	December 21 — 07:01 pm
2039	Mar 20 — 06:32 pm	June 21 — 11:58 am	September23 — 03: 50 am	December 22 — 12:41 am
2040	Mar 20 — 12:11 am	June 20 — 05:46 pm	September22 — 09: 44 am	December 21 — 06:33 am
2041	Mar 20 — 06:07 am	June 20 — 11:37 pm	September22 — 03: 27 pm	December 21 — 12:19 pm
2042	Mar 20 — 11:53 am	June 21 — 03:16 pm	September22 — 09: 11 pm	December 21 — 06:04 pm
2043	Mar 20 — 05:29 pm	June 21 — 10:59 am	September23 — 03: 07 am	December 22 — 12:02 am
2044	Mar 19 — 11:20 pm	June 20 — 04:50 pm	September22 — 08: 47 am	December 21 — 05:43 am
2045	Mar 20 — 05:08 am	June 20 — 10:34 pm	September22 — 02: 33 pm	December 21 — 11:36 am
2046	Mar 20 — 10:58 am	June 21 — 04:15 am	September22 — 08: 22 pm	December 21 — 05:28 pm
2047	Mar 20 — 04:52 pm	June 21 — 10:02 am	September23 — 02: 07 am	December 21 — 11:07 pm
2048	Mar 19 — 10:34 pm	June 20 — 03:54 pm	September22 — 08: 01 am	December 21 — 05:02 am
2049	Mar 20 — 04:28 am	June 20 — 09:47 pm	September22 — 01: 42 pm	December 21 — 10:51 am
2050	Mar 20 — 10:20 am	June 21 — 03:33 am	September22 — 07: 29 pm	December 21 — 04:39 pm

There is always a long period between sunrise and sunset for observers within a few degrees of the equator. Higher latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere experience equal day and night before the March equinox. 

The daytime continues to be longer than the nighttime until after the September equinox. In the Southern Hemisphere, the equal day and night dates arrive before the September equinox and after the March equinox.

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