Muscat – The Sultanate of Oman will experience the vernal equinox tomorrow, marking the official start of astronomical spring in the northern hemisphere, according to the Omani Society for Astronomy and Space.

Asma bint Salim al Farsi, a member of the society, stated that astronomical calculations indicate the equinox will occur at 1:07 PM Oman time. On this day, the sun will be positioned directly above the equator, resulting in nearly equal lengths of day and night worldwide.

In Muscat, the sun will:

• Rise at 6:11 AM
• Reach its zenith at 12:14 PM
• Set at 6:18 PM
• The total daylight duration will be 12 hours, 7 minutes, and 24 seconds

Farsi explained that the equinox occurs due to the Earth’s axial tilt of 23.5 degrees, which causes seasonal variations in sunlight throughout the year. While the vernal equinox typically falls between 20 and 22 March, Oman has already experienced equal day and night on March 15, when the sun rose and set at 6:16 AM and 6:16 PM, respectively.

The equinox signifies the sun’s transition from the southern to the northern hemisphere, marking spring’s arrival in the north and autumn in the south. It also marks the start of a six-month-long day at the North Pole, while the South Pole enters a prolonged period of darkness.

Al Farsi highlighted that the equinox is a useful reference for navigation, as the sun rises exactly in the east and sets precisely in the west on this day. From this point onwards, daylight hours in Oman will gradually increase until the summer solstice in June.

The vernal equinox is one of four major seasonal events in the year, alongside the summer solstice, autumnal equinox, and winter solstice. While equinoxes bring nearly equal day and night, solstices mark the longest and shortest days of the year.

Traditionally, this period signals the start of the planting season, as increasing daylight hours and rising temperatures foster crop growth.