# Vernal Equinox - exact time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 19, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vernal-equinox-exact-time/162618 "2003-03-19T20:11:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Neptune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@Neptune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neptune)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vernal-equinox-exact-time/162618/1 "2003-03-19T20:11:18Z")
Where can I find the EXACT time of the Vernal Equinox for 2003? I’ve found several references to March 20, 8:00 PM EST. But all these seem to be rounded to the minute. I’ve seen others listing the time as early as 7:59 and as late as 8:06. How about the second? How can I know the source is reliable? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vernal-equinox-exact-time/162618/2 "2003-03-19T20:58:47Z")
The [US Naval Observatory](http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/EarthSeasons.html) is the definitive source. They give the equinox as March 21 01:00, and that’s accurate to the nearest minute. Since that’s 1:00 AM Universal Time (which is Greenwich Mean Time), to get to Eastern Standard Time, you subtract 5 hours, so the Equinox is March 20, 8:00 PM. Happy Equinox! ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vernal-equinox-exact-time/162618/3 "2003-03-19T21:03:40Z")
Answered this question for my mom using the exact same resource earlier today.