FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Longer nights will start on Tuesday, September 24, as the sun approaches the celestial equator.
In the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s monthly astronomical diary, day and night will have equal length on Monday, September 23 due to the autumnal equinox.
“Hence, thereafter, Philippine nights will be longer,” it said.
Equinox signals change of seasons. There are two equinoxes in a year, with the vernal equinox on March 21, which signaled the summer season. The autumn equinox, meanwhile, signals cooler weather as winds from the northeast would pass across the country.
Sunrise on Monday was at 5:45 a.m., and sunset will come at 5:51p.m., but it could get dark as early as 5p.m., Pagasa said in its extended weather bulletin.
According to National Aeronautics and Space Administration website, the September equinox occurred at 20:44 UTC on September 22 (4:44a.m. Philippine time, Monday).
“The Sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly equal amounts of day and night throughout the world. This is also the first day of fall (autumnal equinox) in the northern hemisphere and the first day of spring (vernal equinox) in the southern hemisphere,” it said.
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