We’re finally out of the hibernation of winter, the weather is a little better, flowers are beginning to bud and the evenings are lighter. And while the anticipation of spring has been creeping in slowly over the past couple of weeks, the spring equinox – or vernal equinox if you want to use its official name – this year falls on 20 March in the northern hemisphere.

The term ‘vernal’ means ‘new’ and ‘fresh’, while equinox derives from the Latin words aequus and nox (equal night). In short, it’s the one day of the year when the point of balance between light and dark is the same, meaning our daylight hours and nighttime hours are equal.

“This marks the beginning of astronomical spring in the northern hemisphere,” says Natasha AstroBalance, astrologer from the Moonly app. “The days get longer and the nights shorter until the summer solstice. In 2024, astronomical spring spans 93 days until 20 June, which will mark the longest day and the shortest night.”

Feeling positive or ready for a new challenge? It could be down to the spring equinox, according to astrologists