* Also called the September equinox, it marks the moment the sun passes directly above the equator, meaning day and night are of equal length.

* In 2022, the exact moment the sun crosses the equator occurs on September 23rd at 09:03 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). Timezones around the world vary so be sure to check the precise time for your location.

* The word equinox comes from the Latin words aequus (meaning equal) and Nox (meaning night), describing the equal length of day and night on that date.

* The autumn equinox is the astronomical start of autumn in the northern hemisphere and spring in the southern hemisphere.

* The seasons arise because the Earth's rotation axis is not perpendicular to the plane of its orbit around the sun. Instead, the axis of rotation is tilted approximately 23.4 degrees away.

* As a result of the tilt of Earth's axis, the amount of sunlight that reaches different parts of the planet varies throughout the year.

* During the fall equinox, the planet's axis is oriented in such a way that the northern and southern hemispheres are receiving equal amounts of sunlight.

* After the autumn equinox, the Earth's axis will continue to tilt away from the sun in the northern hemisphere, causing the days to get shorter and nights longer.

* In the southern hemisphere, the axis will continue to tilt towards the sun, and days will get longer.

* The autumn equinox is also the time when the Earth's equator is in line with the Sun's center, resulting in a symmetrical distribution of the Earth's day and night illumination zones.

* The autumn equinox is a time of change and transition as the days will start to get shorter, the weather will get cooler, and the leaves will start to fall from the trees.

* It is a moment of reflection and celebration, and many cultures around the world have traditional festivals and ceremonies associated with this celestial event.