Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                2022 March 20
   [2]The featured image depicts a sunset down a country road in Illinois.
    On an equinox, the Sun rises and sets directly down east-west running
    roads like this. Many towns have them. Please see the explanation for
                         more detailed information.

                        A Picturesque Equinox Sunset
                Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Roland Christen

   Explanation: What's that at the end of the road? The Sun. Many towns
   have roads that run east - west, and on two days each year, the Sun
   rises and sets [4]right down the middle. Today is one of those days: an
   [5]equinox. Not only is today a day of equal night [6]("aequus"-"nox")
   and day time, but also a day when the [7]sun rises precisely to the
   east and sets due west. Featured here is a picturesque road in
   [8]northwest [9]Illinois, USA that runs approximately east -west. The
   image was taken during the [10]March Equinox of 2015, and shows the Sun
   down the road at sunset. In many cultures, this [11]March equinox is
   taken to be the first day of a season, typically spring in Earth's
   [12]northern hemisphere, and autumn in the [13]south. Does your
   [14]favorite street run east - west? Tonight, at sunset, you can find
   out with a quick glance.

               Tomorrow's picture: every single day last year
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [26]Robert Nemiroff ([27]MTU) & [28]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([29]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [30]Specific rights apply.
              [31]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [32]ASD at [33]NASA / [34]GSFC
                           & [35]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2203/EquinoxSunset_Christen_1852.jpg
   3. mailto: Roland @at@ astro-physics .dot. com
   4. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100321.html
   5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210922.html
   6. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/equinox
   7. http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-vernal-or-spring-equinox
   8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockton,_Illinois
   9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois
  10. https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/news-display.cfm?News_ID=496
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_equinox
  12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Hemisphere
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap951222.html
  14. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/02/c2/09/02c20915a2e492de284d537ec0a4825e.jpg
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220319.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  19. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  24. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=220320
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220321.html
  26. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  27. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  28. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  29. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  32. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  33. https://www.nasa.gov/
  34. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  35. http://www.mtu.edu/