Every year about this time thousands of penguins rejoice to see the sun peep above the horizon in Antarctica. The return of the sun after 6 long months of chilly darkness means spring has arrived. For penguins it's time to shed a few pounds of blubber, find a mate, and bask in the sunshine for the next 6 months. For a small band of scientists and technicians who wintered over at the south pole, it's time for supply drops, mail, and fresh fruit. Outside the temperature begins to climb from a frigid -70 deg.
Spring is in the air.
It's called the autumnal equinox. Click for images updated every 10 minutes. The autumnal equinox marks the beginning of autumn in the northern hemisphere and spring in the southern hemisphere. On the day of the equinox sunlight and darkness are of almost equal length. At the south pole the sun rises, and at the north pole it sets for six months.