As the seasons change, many people look forward to the return of their favorite cartoons. But have you ever stopped to think about what makes these changes happen? It all comes down to the Earth's tilt as it rotates around the sun.

At the summer solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, resulting in longer days and shorter nights. Meanwhile, at the winter solstice, the opposite occurs - the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun, leading to shorter days and longer nights.

But what about the equinoxes? These special days occur when the Earth's axis is perpendicular to the sun, resulting in equal amounts of daylight and darkness for all parts of the planet. On these days, the sun appears directly overhead at noon, making it a unique time of year.

The word 'equinox' comes from two Latin words: 'aequus,' meaning equal, and 'nox,' meaning night. This is fitting, as the day and night are almost identical in length during this period.

But how do we define these seasons? There are actually two different ways to carve up the year. Astronomical seasons depend on the Earth's tilt and orbit around the sun, while meteorological seasons are defined by temperature cycles.

The Northern Hemisphere's spring equinox typically falls between March 19 and 21, while the fall equinox can land between September 22 and 23. This is because the exact dates of these events vary slightly from year to year due to the Earth's elliptical orbit around the sun.

So next time you're watching your favorite cartoon on a crisp autumn day, take a moment to appreciate the special astronomical event that makes it all possible - the equinox!

Equinox fall cartoons