Fall 2022: What to know about this season’s equinox; dates for Veterans Day, Halloween, and Thanksgiving

Time for a Pumpkin Spiced Latte, fall is here!

Depending on one’s religious affiliation or background, this can also mean approaching Rosh Hashanah, Diwali or All Saints’ Day. Plus, it’s spooky season for all the Halloween lovers out there.

Here’s everything you need to know about the change of season, along with dates to mark on your calendar.

When does autumn officially start?

The astronomical fall began at Thursday, September 22, 2022 9:04 p.m. ET, in the Northern Hemisphere, according to AccuWeather. This time also marks the beginning of spring in the southern hemisphere.

What is the Autumnal Equinox?

“Equinox” is derived from the Latin word meaning “equal night,” according to AccuWeather.

During an equinox, the Earth is perpendicular to the Sun with both its axis and orbit, allowing the Sun’s rays to aim directly at our planet’s equator. As a result, day and night are 12 hours long around the globe.

The Autumn or Fall Equinox is the second of two for the year: The Spring or Spring Equinox 2022 took place 11:33 am ET on Sunday, March 20th.

Conversely, solstices mark the most drastic time differences between night and day. The year 2022 saw the summer solstice, the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere 5:14 p.m. ET on Tuesday, June 21st. The top half of the world will experience the shortest day of 2022 during the winter solstice 4:48 p.m. ET on Wednesday, December 21.

Meteorological and astronomical fall: what’s the difference?

What holidays and dates should I mark on my calendar?

• Rosh Hashanah is Monday, September 26th and Tuesday, September 27th.
• Yom Kippur is Wednesday October 5th.
• Columbus Day is Monday October 10th.
• Diwali is Monday October 24th.
• Halloween is Monday October 31st.
• All Saints’ Day is Tuesday, November 1st.
• Veterans Day is Friday November 11th.
• Thanksgiving Day is Thursday November 24th.