Adjacent Words

vernal equinox definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: March 21 [syn: vernal equinox, March equinox, spring equinox] [ant: September equinox, autumnal equinox, fall equinox]
2: (astronomy) the equinoctial point that lies in the constellation of Pisces

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Vernal equinox (Astron.), the time when the sun crosses the equator when proceeding northward. Vernal grass (Bot.), a low, soft grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum), producing in the spring narrow spikelike panicles, and noted for the delicious fragrance which it gives to new-mown hay; -- also called sweet vernal grass. See Illust. in Appendix. Vernal signs (Astron.), the signs, Aries, Taurus, and Gemini, in which the sun appears between the vernal equinox and summer solstice.

Moby Thesaurus

aphelion, apogee, astronomical longitude, autumnal equinox, celestial equator, celestial longitude, celestial meridian, circle, colures, ecliptic, equator, equinoctial, equinoctial circle, equinoctial colure, equinox, galactic longitude, geocentric longitude, geodetic longitude, great circle, heliocentric longitude, longitude, meridian, orbit, perigee, perihelion, period, small circle, solstice, solstitial colure, summer solstice, trajectory, winter solstice, zodiac, zone