What is a cross-quarter day?

rb6359

A cross-quarter day is a day falling approximately halfway between a solstice and an equinox. "These days originated as pagan holidays in Sweden, Norway, Finland, United Kingdom and Ireland, and survive in modern times as neopagan holidays. The cross-quarter days were also independently developed in East Asia as four of the 24 Solar Terms." See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-quarter_day "A solstice is an astronomical event that happens twice each year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is most inclined toward or away from the Sun, causing the Sun's apparent position in the sky to reach its northernmost or southernmost extreme." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solstice "An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the Sun being vertically above a point on the Equator. The term equinox can also be used in a broader sense, meaning the date when such a passage happens." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equinox Aug 05 09, 12:16 AM