GENERAL STUDIES / GEOGRAPHY

Difference between Equinox and Solstice

by Richa Rastogi · Published April 7, 2023 · Updated May 30, 2023

Equinox and Solstice are the two effects of the revolution of the earth. The equinoxes are those dates when the nights and days are equal. Whereas, the solstice is the time of the year when the difference between the length of days and length of nights is the largest.

Equinox and Solstice due to the revolution of the Earth

EQUINOX

‘Equi’ means equal and ‘nox’ means night, so Equinox means equal day and night. There are two days in a year when the sun shines directly over the equator, and day and night are equal.Equinoxes are those dates when the nights and days are equal. During the movement when both the poles of the earth are at an equal distance from the Sun, the rays of the Sun fall directly on the equator. Therefore, on this day the Earth experiences an equinox. An equinox occurs twice a year, one on March 21 and another on September 23.

On March 21, the earth experiences Spring or Vernal Equinox.
On September 23, it is the Autumnal Equinox.

SOLSTICE

‘Sol’ means Sun and Solstice means standing still of the Sun. There are two days in a year when the Sun shines brightly on the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.The solstice is the time of the year when the difference between the length of days and the length of nights is the largest. During these days the sun shines vertically over a tropic. On June 21 the Sun shines directly on the Tropic of Cancer. All the places in the Northern Hemisphere experience their longest day on this date. This is called Summer Solstice. When the South Pole tilts towards the Sun, the Southern Hemisphere experiences the summer season, and the Northern Hemisphere experiences the winter season. The Sun shines brightly on the Tropic of Capricorn. On December 22, Northern Hemisphere experiences the shortest day. This is the Winter Solstice. The reverse is true in the case of the southern region.