The Equinox

The Equinox is the day where the sun passes directly over the equator in its Northward and Southward movements between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. This topic is often used in Flat Earth discussions as evidence to contradict any possible Flat Earth model. Round Earth proponents have popularly made two claims for this day:

- The sun will rise from the east on this day for all locations on earth - The earth will experience equal times of day and night

We find, however, both of these claims to be untrue.

The sun does not rise from the east for all locations on earth. It is admitted by academia that the sun is often displaced by several sun diameters from east on this day, with an allegation that it is only from the equator where the sun rises from the east.

Further, it is admitted by academia that equal times of day and night do not occur for this day all over the earth. The day of equal day and night is time and location specific. The period of equal day and night does not occur for several days after or before the equinox day, and for some locations the period of equal day and night does not occur for a time period measured in weeks away from the day of the equinox.

Numerous excuses are, of course, given for the inability of the Round Earth Theory to meet its predictions.

Dictionary Definition
Marriam-Webster defines the Equinox as:

equinox noun equi·​nox | \ˈē-kwə-ˌnäks, ˈe-  \

1 : either of the two points on the celestial sphere where the celestial equator intersects the ecliptic 2 : either of the two times each year (as about March 21 and September 23) when the sun crosses the equator and day and night are everywhere on earth of approximately equal length

=Myth I: Direction of Sunrise and Sunset=

The Claim
From the astronomy website earthsky.org we read the following:

It may seem counterintuitive. But it’s true no matter where you live on Earth.

Equinox Sunrise Not from the East
From The Permaculture Research Institute (Archive) we read the following:

Russel D. Sampson of the University of Alberta informs us that the sun does not actually rise due east on the equinox, and is displaced from the east by multiple sun-diameters. Inventive special pleading is therefore invoked, attributing the inability of prediction to meet observation to "refraction":

Astronomical Refraction and the Equinox Sunrise (Archive)

We note that, while the failure of this prediction to meet reality is acknowledged, the typical excuses are made, and remarks to the nature of 'only at the equator' are given, no observations of the sun at the equator are referenced.

=Myth II: Equal Day and Night=

The Claim
It is claimed that this day is a special day which receives equal day and night. The very name equinox, indeed, means 'equal day and night'.

This myth is prevalent at many institutes. From the Oklahoma Climatological Survey we read:

Equinox Day and Night Not Equal
From an article from the Christian Science Monitor we read the following:

The Equilux
From The Macmillan Dictionary we read the following:

The Equinox in Contrast to The Equilux

http://www.torahcalendar.com/ORBITS.asp?HebrewDay=22&HebrewMonth=7&Year=2018

Ancient Observatories - Timeless Knowledge Link to Paper

In 2015 Deborah Scherrer of the Standford Solar Center provided a document titled "Ancient Observatories - Timeless Knowledge." On page 39 we see the following: