As the Autumnal Equinox officially marks the arrival of autumn, here at The Valley we thought we would celebrate the changing of the seasons with a flurry of pictures and information on the season that brings us a warmth of colour and cosiness in the way that only nature can.
What is the Autumn Equinox?
The autumn equinox is, simply, the first day of autumn, which falls today, September 23.
The equinox takes place when the equator passes the centre of the sun. Unlike at other times, this is when both north and south poles of the Earth are not tilted towards or away from the sun. Instead they become aligned allowing, in theory, the same volume of daylight across both hemispheres here on Earth.
Equinox isn’t just a word added in without significance either. It is derived from Latin language, to imply equal night.
As we’re sure you will start to notice, following the start of the autumnal equinox, our days become shorter, but the nights get longer. Historically, this is also a time that marked when farmers would bring in their harvests. So if you’ve ever wondered why the full moon closest to the equinox is frequently referred to as the harvest moon, this explains why.
How can you celebrate the arrival of autumn?
Here in Cornwall, there’s always something to do, especially near our 5 star holiday cottages in Cornwall where food festivals are abundant at this time of year. Head to Truro on September 25th -27th for The Great Cornish The Great Cornish Food Festival.
However, perhaps the most popular and simplistic, yet inspiring way to see in autumn is by appreciating the changing colours of leaves, fields, meadows, and trees, as well as keeping an eye out for the emerging wildlife that thrive in autumnal conditions.
THE VALLEY is proud to be the only 5 Star Gold Self Catering holiday village of its size in the whole of Cornwall
