When does autumn really start?
When does autumn really start?
Seasons are important to how we understand the climate and the environment, but for hundreds of years academics have argued that their specialist field is the one which defines official start of autumn.
In meteorological terms autumn begins on September 1, this is because each season is broken down into a cycle of 3 months
Astronomers base the date of the seasons upon celestial events, in this case the autumnal equinox, this a term used to describe the time when the nights and days are roughly the same length. This year the autumn equinox is today – September 23rd.
The third definition of the start of autumn, which is more fluid, comes from phenology – the study of periodic plant and animal life cycle events.
The start of autumn in this field is dictated not by a set date or a single event, but the changes in the natural world, such as the tinting of the trees and the ripening of autumn fruits.
Whenever autumn starts, it is truly a season of beauty. Here are 10 great places to visit during autumn – including the Westonbirt arboretum right on our doorstep.
