Spring is officially here in Melbourne and Sydney.

The September equinox occurred on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 8:05 p.m. ET (00:05 UTC on September 23),
marking the official start of astronomical autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere.

What Happens During the Equinox
Sun Position:
The sun shines directly overhead the Earth's equator.

Equal Day and Night:
Day and night are nearly equal in length (about 12 hours each) across most of the globe.

Axial Tilt: Earth's axis is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun.

Seasonal Context
Northern Hemisphere:
Marks the transition from summer to astronomical fall (autumn),
bringing progressively shorter days and longer nights until the winter solstice.

Southern Hemisphere:
Marks the transition from winter to astronomical spring, bringing longer days and warmer weather.

It's time to plant your tomatoes.

I planted one of these

https://www.bunnings.com.au/100mm-tomato-tigerella-solanum-lycopersicum_p0101078


100mm Tomato Tigerella - Solanum lycopersicum


$5.19

Features
The best yielding tomato
Bears up to 20kg fruit per plant
Crops well in all areas
Red and yellow striped fruit to 5cm
Excellent salad variety
The best-yielding tomato The Diggers Club has ever grown, each plant bears up to 20kg of delicious, red-yellow striped fruit. Harvest 10 weeks from transplant.

I am still trying to understand the dates of the Autumn and Spring Equinoxes. I realise that the leap day forces the change of the equinoxes and solstices. But, it is not like I pay much attention to the dates. It is always something like 6 weeks of winter with relatively similar sunrises and sunsets. And summer just drags on for 4 or 5 months (October to February here).

How do you guys manage the winters in Melbourne, Bobby?

UnSubRocky wrote on Sep 25^th, 2026 at 4:11am:

I am still trying to understand the dates of the Autumn and Spring Equinoxes. I realise that the leap day forces the change of the equinoxes and solstices. But, it is not like I pay much attention to the dates. It is always something like 6 weeks of winter with relatively similar sunrises and sunsets. And summer just drags on for 4 or 5 months (October to February here). How do you guys manage the winters in Melbourne, Bobby?

Rockhampton?
You are just north of the Tropic of Capricorn - so you are in the tropics -
the Equinox doesn't affect you much.

Melbourne is cold and damp in winter.
Luckily I have a gas heater.

Equinox is today 23rd Sept 2026 Spring is here.


Happy Ostara day.

There is this grey mist looking thing in the sky preventing sunlight from coming through. I think they are called "clouds", and some water is falling from them. I think... I think that is called "rain".

Bobby. wrote on Sep 23^rd, 2026 at 5:51am:

Spring is officially here in Melbourne and Sydney. The September equinox occurred on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 8:05 p.m. ET (00:05 UTC on September 23), marking the official start of astronomical autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere. What Happens During the Equinox Sun Position: The sun shines directly overhead the Earth's equator. Equal Day and Night: Day and night are nearly equal in length (about 12 hours each) across most of the globe. Axial Tilt: Earth's axis is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun. Seasonal Context Northern Hemisphere: Marks the transition from summer to astronomical fall (autumn), bringing progressively shorter days and longer nights until the winter solstice. Southern Hemisphere: Marks the transition from winter to astronomical spring, bringing longer days and warmer weather.

Quote:

bringing progressively shorter days and longer nights until the winter solstice.

I don't think this bit is helpful it's not really true the days have already got longer or shorter by this time. The day lenth direction changes at the respective Solstice. There is roughly 3 months difference so the days have already been getting longer so shorter for about 3 months before the equinox and in fact will originally get longer and then shorter between them.

From today in Australia the days continue to get longer till the next solstace and then gets shorter through the following equinox (50 / 50) till the next solstice.

We go from 50/50 mix day/night (equinox) to lonest day (summer solstace) ......

The southern states must be a month behind in the seasons. It is usually a new season in the tropics a month before what the "official" starting date says.

Christmas is coming.

tallowood wrote on Sep 25^th, 2026 at 11:37am:

Christmas is coming.

3 months away or about 12 weeks. 

Bobby. wrote on Sep 25^th, 2026 at 11:41am:

tallowood wrote on Sep 25th, 2026 at 11:37am: Christmas is coming. 3 months away or about 12 weeks.

Equinox to Solstice: ~13 weeks.

"Christmas"??? Oh, that is where I have to buy those gift cards and have a day off from work.