Length of day at equinox

Factual Questions
1

According to this site:

the length of the day in Quito, which is virtually on the equator (14’ S) is 12 hours and 6 minutes:
Sunrise at 6:22 AM in direction 96° East by south Map direction East by south
Sunset at 6:29 PM in direction 264° West by south Map direction West by south
Duration of day: 12 hours, 6 minutes (1 second shorter than yesterday)
Sun near zenith at 12:26 PM at altitude 84° above horizon

We are close enough to the equinox that these numbers are not going to change before that. Of the extra 6 minutes, 2 can be accounted for by the 1/2 degree diameter of the sun. Where do the other 4 minutes come from? Is there really 2 degrees of refraction at each end?

2

First of all, it’s not the equinox.

According to Wikipedia:

That seems to agree your link.

3

Thanks. It is close enough to the equinox that at Quito the day length is changing by 1 second each day. In Monteal, by contrast, it changed by 3’10" from yesterday.