Thursday is the first day of spring, or the vernal equinox, in the Northern Hemisphere. During an equinox, the center of the sun is on the same plane as the equator. After the vernal equinox in March, the Northern Hemisphere tilts toward the sun until the June solstice, when the sun begins to migrate back south.

Spring is almost here — officially, at least. The vernal equinox arrives on Thursday, marking the start of the spring season for the Northern Hemisphere and the fall in the Southern Hemisphere. On the equator,