Supermoon 2019 livestream: How to watch the Equinox Full Moon TONIGHT

What is the Spring Equinox?

The Spring or Vernal Equinox marks the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator from the south and into the north.

The event, which occurs at 9.58pm GMT tonight, effectively kickstarts the first day of Spring and the start of longer days and shorter nights.

Astronomer Deborah Byrd of EarthSky.org explained: “At the equinox, Earth’s two hemispheres are receiving the Sun’s rays equally.

“Night and day are often said to be equal in length. In fact, the word equinox comes from the Latin aequus, equal, and nox, night.

“For our ancestors, whose timekeeping was less precise than ours, they likely did seem equal. But we today know it’s not exactly so.”