Equilux vs Equinox: When Day and Night Truly Match
• The equinox is commonly mistaken as the day when day and night are equal, but daylight is slightly longer due to the Sun's size and atmospheric refraction.
• The equilux is the true balance where day and night are precisely equal, occurring a few days before the spring equinox or after the autumn equinox.
• Atmospheric refraction and the sun's disk shape extend daylight, influencing the difference between the equinox and equilux.
Equinox and equilux: a subtle difference
While many believe the equinox marks the day when day and night are of equal length, this isn't entirely accurate. The sun's apparent size and atmospheric refraction cause daylight to stretch slightly longer than nighttime during the equinox. The phenomenon where day and night are truly equal is known as the equilux.
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