Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman marks the autumnal equinox on Sunday, according to astronomical calculations.
Hawwa bint Abdullah al Balushi, a member of the Omani Astronomical Society, explained that the equinox occurred at 4:43 PM (Oman time) when the sun crossed directly over the equator. This celestial event results in nearly equal day and night lengths across most of the world.
“In Muscat, the sun rose at 5:55 am and will set at 6:03 pm, giving a day length of about 12 hours and 8 minutes,” said al Balushi.
She highlighted that Oman will experience true equality between day and night on Saturday, September 28, when the sun will rise and set at 5:57 AM and 5:57 PM, respectively.
Al Balushi also noted that the timing of the equinox can vary slightly by location due to differences in latitude. “Typically, the equinox falls on either September 20, 21, or 22,” she added.
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.
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