Spring Equinox 2026: When Is the First Day of Spring in the Southern Hemisphere?
Spring begins at a precise moment: the spring equinox. The next spring equinox arrives in the Southern Hemisphere on September 23, 2026. Want to know the exact equinox time where you live? Check it in the Sky Tonight astronomy app.
Contents
- Upcoming Spring Equinox 2026 (Southern Hemisphere): Quick Facts
- What Is the Spring Equinox?
- When Is the Next Spring Equinox?
- When Is the First Day of Spring 2026?
- Equal Day and Night: Debunking the Most Popular Myth
- Vernal Equinox 2026: F.A.Q.
- Spring Equinox 2026: Key Facts
- What Is an Equinox? Dive Deeper
Upcoming Spring Equinox 2026 (Southern Hemisphere): Quick Facts
- Date: September 23, 2026
- Exact time: 00:06 GMT/UTC – 10:06 AM AEST / 8:06 AM AWST / 2:06 AM SAST / 12:06 PM NZST
- What it marks: The astronomical first day of spring in the Southern Hemisphere – and the first day of autumn (the autumn equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere
- What happens in the sky: The Sun crosses the celestial equator moving southward
What Is the Spring Equinox?
The spring equinox (as well as the autumnal equinox) is the moment when neither of the Earth’s hemispheres is inclined towards or away from the Sun.
As a result, the Sun is located directly above the equator, and both hemispheres receive an almost equal amount of sunlight. After the spring equinox, the relevant hemisphere (the northern one in March and the southern one in September) tilts closer to the Sun, resulting in more hours of daylight and earlier sunrises and later sunsets.
At the moment of the equinox, the ecliptic and the celestial equator intersect (here is a short video to help visualize how it works). The ecliptic is the Sun’s path across the sky; the celestial equator is an imaginary line extending from the Earth’s equator into the celestial sphere. They are inclined to each other at 23.4°. If there were no inclination between them, there would be no seasons and solstices, and we would have the equinox all year round.
The spring equinox occurs in March or September. It depends on which hemisphere you live in. How come? Let’s figure it out.
What are March equinox & September equinox?
If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you probably use the terms "March equinox" and "spring equinox" interchangeably because, in this region, the March equinox marks the beginning of spring and all the seasonal changes that come with it.
In the Southern Hemisphere, however, the seasons are reversed. That's why the March equinox there symbolizes the beginning of autumn and, therefore, is called the autumnal equinox.
To avoid confusion between the different hemispheres, astronomers use the terms "March equinox" and "September equinox". In general usage, however, people are more likely to say “spring” and “autumnal” equinox.
If you want to dive deeper into the mechanics of equinoxes, head to our full guide “What Is an Equinox?”
When Is the Next Spring Equinox?
In the Southern Hemisphere, the spring equinox will take place on September 23, 2026, at 00:06 GMT/UTC.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the next spring equinox will arrive on March 20, 2027, at 20:25 GMT/UTC.
The exact spring equinox time for your location depends on your time zone. Here are the Southern Hemisphere spring equinox timings (for September 23, 2026, at 00:06 GMT):
| Time zone | Example cities | Spring equinox date & time |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST, GMT+10) | Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane | September 23, 10:06 |
| Australian Western Standard Time (AWST, GMT+8) | Perth, Broome | September 23, 08:06 |
| South African Standard Time (SAST, GMT+2) | Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pretoria | September 23, 02:06 |
| New Zealand Standard Time (NZST, GMT+12) | Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch | September 23, 12:06 |
| Argentina Time (ART, GMT−3) | Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Rosario | September 22, 21:06 |
| Chile Summer Time (CLST, GMT−3) | Santiago, Valparaíso, Concepción | September 22, 21:06 |
| Brazil Time (BRT, GMT−3) | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília | September 22, 21:06 |
Here are the Northern Hemisphere spring equinox timings (for March 20, 2027, at 20:25 GMT/UTC):
| Time zone | Example cities | Spring equinox date & time |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, GMT−4) | New York, Washington, D.C., Toronto | March 20, 4:25 PM |
| Central Daylight Time (CDT, GMT−5) | Chicago, Dallas, New Orleans | March 20, 3:25 PM |
| Mountain Daylight Time (MDT, GMT−6) | Denver, Calgary, Albuquerque | March 20, 2:25 PM |
| Pacific Daylight Time (PDT, GMT−7) | Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver | March 20, 1:25 PM |
| Central European Time (CET, GMT+1) | Paris, Berlin, Rome | March 20, 21:25 |
| Eastern European Time (EET, GMT+2) | Athens, Bucharest, Helsinki | March 20, 22:25 |
| India Standard Time (IST, GMT+5:30) | New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru | March 21, 01:55 |
| China Standard Time (CST, GMT+8) | Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen | March 21, 04:25 |
| Japan Standard Time (JST, GMT+9) | Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo | March 21, 05:25 |
To find out the exact equinox time for your city, open the Sky Tonight app. Go to the search window and enter "Equinox" in the search field. You'll see the exact time of the event in your location in the corresponding search result.
Spring Equinox Dates 2026-2030
In the Southern Hemisphere, the dates of the spring equinox vary between September 21 and 24. In the 21st century, the most common equinox date is September 22 – it occurs on this day 76 times. Meanwhile, the next equinox on September 24 will take place only in 2303.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the spring equinox dates vary between March 19 and 21. In this century, 78 equinoxes fall on March 20, and only two occur on March 21. The other 20 equinoxes this century occur on March 19.
Note that the dates above are given in Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), and the equinox date may vary in different time zones.
Here are the spring equinox dates for five years:
Southern Hemisphere
- 2026: September 23, 00:06 GMT/UTC (September 22, 8:06 PM ET)
- 2027: September 23, 06:02 GMT/UTC (2:02 AM ET)
- 2028: September 22, 11:45 GMT/UTC (7:45 AM ET)
- 2029: September 22, 17:37 GMT/UTC (1:37 PM ET)
- 2030: September 22, 23:27 GMT/UTC (7:27 PM ET)
Northern Hemisphere
- 2026: March 20, 14:46 GMT/UTC (10:46 AM ET)
- 2027: March 20, 20:25 GMT/UTC (4:25 PM ET)
- 2028: March 20, 02:17 GMT/UTC (March 19, 10:17 PM ET)
- 2029: March 20, 08:01 GMT/UTC (4:01 AM ET)
- 2030: March 20, 13:51 GMT/UTC (9:51 AM ET)
When Is the First Day of Spring 2026?
Spring in the Southern Hemisphere begins on September 23, 2026. In the Northern Hemisphere, the next spring equinox will occur on March 20, 2027. This is consistent with the astronomical approach, which suggests that the equinoxes mark the transition from winter to spring and from summer to autumn. The dates of these events are based on Earth’s position relative to the Sun and can change from year to year.
The meteorological approach suggests that spring starts on September 1 in the Southern Hemisphere (and on March 1 in the Northern Hemisphere). Such an approach is based on annual temperature cycles. It also follows the Gregorian calendar and has fixed dates that divide a year into equal quarters, making it easier to compare monthly and seasonal statistics.
Equal Day and Night: Debunking the Most Popular Myth
Despite the common misconception, the length of day and night at the equinox is almost equal, but not exactly the same. There are two reasons for this: atmospheric refraction and the definition of sunset/sunrise.
Atmospheric Refraction
The Earth’s atmosphere refracts sunlight, affecting the apparent position of the Sun and the length of daylight. Because the atmosphere's density gradually decreases with altitude, sunlight bends as it passes through it, making the Sun appear slightly higher in the sky than its true geometric position when it is near the horizon. To imagine how it works, think of a pencil in a glass of water – the pencil appears to bend when viewed from certain angles.
We know that our atmosphere uplifts the Sun by about 0.6 degrees from its true position whenever the Sun is near the horizon. This means that when you see the Sun near the horizon, in reality, it's already below the line. However, the atmosphere bends the light upwards, making the Sun appear in a different place.
Regarding the daylight length, atmospheric refraction advances sunrise and delays sunset, adding about 6-8 minutes of sunlight.
Sunset/Sunrise Definition
If sunset and sunrise were defined as the moments when the geometric center of the Sun passes over the horizon, we would have exactly 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night. But this isn't the case. Sunrise and sunset are defined as the exact moments when the upper edge of the Sun touches the horizon. So the time it takes for the Sun to disappear completely below the horizon (which can be several minutes) makes the day slightly longer than the night on the equinox.
Daylight Length on the Spring Equinox 2026
Here is the list of different places and the length of daylight there on the spring equinox on September 23, 2026 in the Southern Hemisphere. The length of the day will be about the same all over the world – except for the poles.
- Sydney, Australia: 12 hours 8 minutes
- Johannesburg, South Africa: 12 hours 8 minutes
- Auckland, New Zealand: 12 hours 8 minutes
- Buenos Aires, Argentina: 12 hours 9 minute
- Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station: 24 hours*
*The Sun stays near the horizon for the entire day at the poles, regardless of whether it is the autumnal or spring equinox. At the North Pole, polar night (24 hours of darkness) turns into polar day (24 hours of daylight) a few days before the equinox, while at the South Pole, polar day turns into polar night a few days after the equinox.
Equilux: Equal Day and Night
Although day and night aren't exactly equal at the equinox, there is the equilux. This word is used to describe days when day and night are equal. Equiluxes happen a few days before the spring equinox (and a few days after the autumnal equinox). On such a day, we experience as close to 12 hours of daylight as possible (give or take a few tens of seconds). The exact day of equilux depends on latitude.
Vernal Equinox 2026: F.A.Q.
When is the spring solstice 2026?
There is no such thing as a “spring solstice”, only the “spring equinox”. In the Southern Hemisphere, the next spring equinox in 2026 is on September 23. In the Northern Hemisphere, the next spring equinox will occur on March 20, 2027. Remember: solstices occur in June and December; equinoxes – in March and September. To ensure you know the difference between these two events, take our quiz on equinoxes and solstices.
When does spring start in 2026?
Depending on the approach, spring in the Southern Hemisphere starts either on the September equinox (September 23, 2026) or on September 1. In the Northern Hemisphere, the next spring season starts either on the March equinox (March 20, 2027) or on March 1, 2027. Astronomers count the solstices and equinoxes as the transition points between the seasons, while meteorologists consider the seasons to begin on the first day of the months that include the equinoxes and solstices. For more information, read our dedicated article.
When does spring start in Australia in 2026?
In Australia, astronomical spring begins at the September equinox, which occurs on September 23, 2026, at 10:06 AM AEST in cities such as Sydney and Melbourne. In Perth, it happens on September 23, 2026, at 08:06 AM AWST.
When does spring start in New Zealand in 2026?
In New Zealand, astronomical spring also begins at the September equinox, which happens on September 23, 2026, at 12:06 PM NZST.
What is the first Full Moon after the spring equinox 2026?
In the Southern Hemisphere, the first Full Moon after the spring equinox will occur on September 26, 2026. You can find all the dates of the other Full Moons this year in our Full Moon Calendar 2026.
The first Full Moon after the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere will occur on March 22, 2027. This Full Moon is special because it determines the date of Easter in the Western Catholic tradition. This is why it is often called the Paschal Full Moon. Learn more about the March Full Moon in our dedicated article.
When does Daylight Saving Time start in 2026?
Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins around the start of spring in many parts of the world. However, it does not begin exactly on the spring equinox. For example, in 2026, Australian Eastern Daylight Time starts on Sunday, October 4, at 2 AM, when clocks are set forward by one hour.
Spring Equinox 2026: Key Facts
The spring equinox in the Southern Hemisphere will occur on September 23, 2026, at 00:06 GMT/UTC — 10:06 AM AEST / 8:06 AM AWST / 2:06 AM SAST / 12:06 PM NZST — marking the start of spring there. In the Northern Hemisphere, the next spring equinox will occur on March 20, 2027, at 20:25 GMT/UTC. Want to know the exact time of the equinox in your area? Check it instantly with the Sky Tonight app!
What Is an Equinox? Dive Deeper
So you’ve learned about the spring equinox – nice! But what about its autumn twin? And how do equinoxes relate to solstices? If you’re curious to really understand how seasons work, these resources will take you further:
- Fall Equinox 2026
- What Are Equinoxes?
- What Are Solstices?
- Quiz: Can You Tell an Equinox From a Solstice? (It’s trickier than it sounds, unless you’ve done your reading!)
