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Credit: NASA
Explanation:
Welcome to the
equinox!
Moving northward in Earth's sky, today
the Sun crosses the celestial
equator at 13:31
Universal
Time bringing Spring to the north and Fall to the south.
The change of season is known as an equinox as
the Sun rises due
east on the horizon and sets due west -- providing an
equal night, 12 night and 12 daylight hours,
for both northern and southern hemispheres.
In this picture from March 8, the Sun peers
over the eastern horizon at the space shuttle Discovery's
dramatic morning launch on mission STS-102.
Having delivered supplies and taxied crew to the
International Space Station,
Discovery will remain in orbit for this
first day of northern hemisphere Spring.
Discovery is scheduled
to
land at
Kennedy Space Center
in Florida early tomorrow.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Space Shuttle Discovery - equinox - space shuttle - spring
Publications with words: Space Shuttle Discovery - equinox - space shuttle - spring
See also: