Second Nature

Celebrate the Vernal Equinox

S

begin to show their first signs of buds

up and you can finally put that big winter coat away. But what causes this seasonal change? The changing of the seasons is a wonderful time to learn about the relationship between Earth and the Sun.

and the earth starts to liven once again.

Vernal (Spring) Equinox

pring has sprung! Spring is the season of new beginnings and one of four seasonal changes. Animals

awaken from their burrows, flowers

Farmers and gardeners begin their

When the seasons change, the course work planting seeds and working in their of the sun in the sky changes, meaning fields. Temperatures are slowly creeping its path is different than it was in the

The equinox and solstice occur on the imaginary dome around our sky called the celestial equator. It is an imaginary circle that divides our Southern and Northern Hemisphere.

winter. We can use the vernal equinox to learn about the movements of Earth and Sun that affect our weather, climate and even our calendar. Spring is the time between the vernal equinox and summer solstice. The word equinox comes from the Latin word for equal and night. During the equinox, the poles of the earth are not tipped towards or away from the sun. This means that day and night are about equal in length. That’s why we call it an equinox. Our planet is permanently tipped at an angle of 23.4 degrees as it orbits the sun. In the Northern Hemisphere, during the equinox, our sunrise is now earlier and nightfall comes later. The vernal equinox happens in Earth’s orbit around the sun. The equinox and solstice occur on the imaginary dome around our sky called the celestial equator. It is an imaginary circle that divides our Southern and Northern Hemisphere. The sun crosses through the celestial equator at the equinox to arrive in the Northern Hemisphere. In the North Hemisphere, spring takes place from March 20 to June 21.

The Signs of a Changing Season Maybe during your nightly walks you have noticed the sunsets are arriving later, or that dawn is coming earlier.

28

parentexpress • April 2016

Have you also noticed that the arc of the sun is shifting towards the north? Butterflies and birds are on their way back to the north to breed and build their nests, following the path of the sun. This is one way that birds and butterflies arrive back home after the winter season – they use the sun as a compass. Spring is also a time for increased rainfall, as warm air begins to move up from the lower latitudes and cold air begins to push down from the Earth’s frigid zones, the North and South Poles. This rainfall is used to water the recently planted seeds and give life to new growth. Animals begin giving birth in the spring and shedding their winter coats.

know and later look up the objects that you’re not familiar with.

star. Ta-da! Your very own delicious constellations!

Simple and Delicious Marshmallow Constellations For some extra fun, use your constellation map to make marshmallow constellations. All you need are marshmallows, toothpicks and your constellation map or diary. The marshmallows are stars and the toothpicks are what connect each

To learn more about the beauty of spring, join the naturalists at BEEC for its annual Spring Explorers Vacation Camp from April 18 to 22, for grades K-3. Each day offers new insight into the natural world. For more information about BEEC and upcoming vacation camps, visit www.beec.org or call 802-257-5785.

Lie Down, Look Up Many different constellations are visible during the spring. Take your child on a nighttime adventure. Pack some snacks and a blanket for you and your little astronomers. Lie down and look up. Ask your children to investigate the different stars in the sky on a clear night. Can you and your child connect the dots to find the constellations? Some of the spring constellations that are visible during the vernal equinox include Leo the lion, Virgo the maiden – the second largest constellation in the sky – and Bootes, which has the third brightest star in the sky! The constellations that are the easiest to find and most familiar to us are Ursa Major, or the Big Dipper, Ursa Minor, the Little Dipper, and Draco. You can make a map of the constellations or keep a constellation diary. You and your child can label the objects in the sky that you

parentexpress • April 2016

29