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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Emergency services, Sept. 9 ... Climb to the upper world of Mount Bailey ... Arrest made in 2-year vandalism spree ... Emergency services, Sept. 9 ... Climb to the upper world of Mount Bailey ... Arrest made in 2-year vandalism spree ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Night and day are nearly the same length during the equinox Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Sep. 8, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Sep. 8, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News Fall is coming up. What's the science behind the fall equinox? — Mike G., Medford We're glad you asked, Mike. There are two equinoxes every year, one in March and the other in September. These are standout days because, according to www.timeanddate.com , it's when "the sun shines directly on the equator and the length of day and night is nearly equal." The autumnal (or fall) equinox happens the moment the sun crosses the celestial equator from north to south. The celestial equator is the imaginary line in the sky above Earth's equator. The fall equinox usually takes place on Sept. 22, 23 or 24 each year. But why is this important? Earth's axis is always tilted at an angle of around 23.4 degrees, so at any other time, either the northern hemisphere or southern hemisphere is tilted slightly more toward the sun. During the equinoxes, the tilt of Earth's axis is perpendicular to the rays of the sun. On the equinoxes, day and night are practically the same length — 12 hours. — Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected] . To see a collection of columns, go to mailtribune.com/youasked . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Sep. 8, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501