Fall season starts astronomically in Oman

Muscat: The autumnal equinox phenomenon started today (Sunday) in the Sultanate of Oman, marking the astronomical outset of the fall season.

Hawa bint Abdullah al Balushi, a member of the Omani Astronomical Society (OAS), said that the astronomical calculations indicate that the autumnal equinox phenomenon this year occurred today (Sunday) at 04:43 pm Oman local time when the sun rose directly on the equator resulting in nearly equal day and night durations each about 12 hours in most parts of the world.

The sun rose today at 05:55 am and will reach zenith at 11:59 pm and sat at 06:03 pm in Muscat Governorate and the length of the day will be approximately 12 hours and 8 minutes.

On the day of the equinox, the sun aligns precisely with the equator, marking the shift of the sun’s path from the northern to the southern hemisphere. This event signifies the start of spring in the southern hemisphere and the beginning of autumn in the northern hemisphere, including Oman.

According to Hawwa, today is significant because the sun rises exactly at 90 degrees east and sets at 270 degrees west, making it an ideal day for determining precise directions.

As autumn progresses, the nights will gradually grow longer than the days, culminating with the winter solstice on December 21.