Celebrating spring equinox with Nowruz, a Celtic tradition and other ...

21 Mar 2023

CBC.ca

World Photos·Photos

The equinox marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere with the day and night being roughly equal in duration.

This year, spring equinox begins today at 5:24 p.m. ET

CBC News

· Posted: Mar 20, 2023 4:42 PM EDT | Last Updated: March 20

People carry fire torches on a rocky path at pre-dawn hours to mark Nowruz, the Persian New Year.

The Persian New Year Nowruz, which means new day, marks the official beginning of spring and a brand new year. Here, people celebrate in Akra, in Kurdistan, Iraq, on Monday. (Alaa Al-Marjani/Reuters)

Monday marks the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. During the equinox, the Earth's axis and its orbit line up so that both hemispheres get an equal amount of sunlight.

The spring equinox can land on March 19, 20 or 21, depending on the year. This year, it begins today at 5:24 p.m. ET. Take a look at various ways people are celebrating around the world.

Persian New Year

People carry fire torches while celebrating Nowruz Day, a festival marking the first day of spring and Persian New Year, in the town of Akra near Duhok, in Kurdistan, Iraq, on Monday.

Woman standing on the side of rocky hill and carrying torches to celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year.

(Alaa Al-Marjani/Reuters)

A man carries a lit torch on the side of a rocky hill to celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year.

(Alaa Al-Marjani/Reuters)

The Druid way

Members of the Druid Order take part in a ceremony celebrating the spring equinox at Tower Hill in London on Monday.

Members of Druid Order in white garb form a circle during a ceremony to celebrate spring equinox.

(Henry Nicholls/Reuters)

Members of Druid Order in white garb during a ceremony to celebrate spring equinox, including one person kissing an artefact.

(Henry Nicholls/Reuters)

Members of the Druid Order form a circle and take part in a ceremony to celebrate spring equinox.

(Henry Nicholls/Reuters)

In Mexico

The Pyramid of the Moon is seen on the day of the spring equinox as hot air balloons float above the pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacán on the outskirts of Mexico City on Monday.

Hot air balloons float near the Pyramid of the Moon above the pre-hispanic city of Teotihuacan on the outskirts of Mexico City.

(Henry Romero/Reuters)

A man takes pictures of the hot air balloons flying near the Pyramid of the Sun.

A silhouetted man take a picture of hot air balloons flying over the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan, Mexico.

(Claudio Cruz/AFP/Getty Images)

Another view of the balloons above the Pyramid of the Sun.

Hot air balloons float above the Pyramid of the Sun.

(Henry Romero/Reuters)

A Celtic tradition

Residents wait to ignite wooden disks during the Schieweschlàwe festival in Offwiller, eastern France, on Feb. 26. The Schieweschlawe festival is a Celtic tradition to drive away evil spirit and celebrates equinox.

A group of people standing outside holding wooden stick with a disc at the top, taking part in a Celtic tradition to celebrate equinox.