March 20 or 21st known as the spring ______.

• A. Equinox
• B. Solstice
• C. Eclipse
• D. Tilt

Answer: (A)

The moment spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere is marked by the spring equinox. On or around March 20–21, the Sun crosses the celestial equator moving north, so day and night are about the same length. At this time the Sun rises roughly in the east and sets roughly in the west, and the tilt of the Earth’s axis is such that neither hemisphere is tilted toward or away from the Sun. The term “equinox” even comes from a Latin word meaning equal night.

This event is different from a solstice, which is when the Sun’s path is farthest north or south and daylight is longest or shortest (around June 21 or December 21). It’s also not about an eclipse, which is a temporary alignment of the Sun, Moon, and Earth, nor about a tilt, which describes the axial tilt that causes seasons but isn’t a specific date.