# Today The Egg Stands Still!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-the-egg-stands-still/162003>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 17, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-the-egg-stands-still/162003 "2003-03-17T15:22:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-the-egg-stands-still/162003/1 "2003-03-17T15:22:59Z")

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Well, not today exactly, but we’re coming up on the Vernal Equinox. So, I was wondering if SDopers have heard it said that on the Equinoxes (Vernal or Autumnal) you can balance an egg on end? Well, beyond this, I heard it said that Princeton, IIRC, actually filmed a bunch of eggs lined up and slowly falling over as the exact time of the Equinox passes. Supposedly, it was filmed on the Equator, but it can be done w/o being at the Equator.

I was wondering what other SDopers might know about this phenomenon? - Jinx

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-the-egg-stands-still/162003/2 "2003-03-17T15:28:52Z")

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I’ve heard this bedtime story too, and it’s pure fiction. The fact is you can balance an egg on end any time of year, and I have done so. Cecil did a column on this at one time, I’m sure you can do a search and dig it up.

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-the-egg-stands-still/162003/3 "2003-03-17T15:30:29Z")

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You can stand an egg on its end any day of the year, if you have the practice. **Cecil Adams** on [Can you stand eggs on end at the vernal equinox and at no other time?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_089.html)

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**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-the-egg-stands-still/162003/4 "2003-03-17T15:30:36Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Jinx \*  
> \*\*Well, not today exactly, but we’re coming up on the Vernal Equinox. So, I was wondering if SDopers have heard it said that on the Equinoxes (Vernal or Autumnal) you can balance an egg on end? Well, beyond this, I heard it said that Princeton, IIRC, actually filmed a bunch of eggs lined up and slowly falling over as the exact time of the Equinox passes. Supposedly, it was filmed on the Equator, but it can be done w/o being at the Equator.  
> \*\*

Covered by [Snopes](http://www.snopes.com/science/equinox.htm). Verdict: false.

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-the-egg-stands-still/162003/5 "2003-03-17T15:43:40Z")

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Our own **The Bad Astronomer** also has a page about it too: [http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/misc/egg\_spin.html#badegg](http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/misc/egg_spin.html#badegg)

#badegg? Bad **Bad Astronmer**! Bad!