Why April Fools Day in France Involves Fish Pranks

It’s a long and fishy history.

BY AMELIA PARENTEAU

MARCH 31, 2024

"Allow me to address to you / With my deepest tenderness / This beautiful fish, fresh and discreet / To which I have confided my secret," says this April Fish card in French. 

IF YOU FIND YOURSELF IN France on April 1, don’t be surprised if something seems fishy. Maybe someone gives you a chocolate or a pastry in the shape of a cod? Perhaps you find a paper haddock stuck to your back, and then everyone erupts into laughter and starts pointing and shouting “poisson d’avril”? Don’t be alarmed, you’ve simply immersed yourself in the centuries-long French tradition of April Fool’s Day, known as poisson d’avril or “April Fish.”

“The idea of April Fool’s Day, or April 1, as a special day is murky,” says Jack Santino, a folklorist and Professor Emeritus at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. “Every country has its own historical event they think gave rise to it.” But France’s tradition is the only one that involves aquatic life. Historians have many theories about the origins of this piscine tradition, but no overall consensus. The most common theories are connected to pagan celebrations of the vernal equinox, Christianity, a 16th-century calendar change, and the start of the French fishing season.

April fools may trace back to Ancient Rome, but France’s fish part is harder to pin down. 

Some historians date this tradition back to the Ancient Roman pagan festival of Hilaria, a celebration marking the vernal equinox with games and masquerades. Santino says ancient Roman and Celtic celebrations of the vernal equinox are likely forerunners. Connections to those rituals “provide a kind of cultural vocabulary that people can draw on,” according to Santino. However, he believes they probably don’t have a direct connection to the fish part.

For some, that’s where Christianity comes in. The “ichthus” fish—an ancient Hellenic Christian acronym for “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior”—is nowadays widely recognized as a symbol of Christianity, but was originally used as a secret marker of Christian affiliation. Moreover, the Lenten forty-day period between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday prohibits the consumption of meat, so fish is often served as a substitute protein during this period.

The depiction of Lent from 1893 shows how long fish has been a major part of the Christian tradition. 

As the end of Lent often occurs on or near April 1, celebrations including fish imagery would be apt to mark the end of the fasting season. Some even go so far as to surmise that poisson d’avril is a corruption of the word “passion,” as in “passion of the Christ,” into “poisson,” the French word for fish. Despite these cultural associations, Santino points out there is no actual evidence for this link to Christianity.

Then there’s the popular calendar change theory that has been widely discounted by experts today, but still comes up. In 1564, King Charles IX of France issued the Edict of Roussillon, which moved the start of the calendar year from somewhere in the period of March 25 and April 1 (different provinces kept their own calendars) to January 1.


Pope Gregory XIII standardized January 1 as the beginning of the calendar year throughout the entire Christian empire with the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1582. One might surmise that those who still observed the start of the new year on April 1 rather than January 1 were the “April Fools” in question and therefore subject to pranks. However, references to poisson d’avril predate the 1564 edict, occurring in print as early as 1466, which debunks this explanation.

Now paper, people used to hook real dead fish onto the backs of fishermen.

 JACK GAROFALO/GETTY IMAGES

Another plausible theory involves actual fishing. As the days get longer in the northern hemisphere, the return of spring also marks the beginning of the fishing season in France, on or near the first day of April. Some posit that the prank of offering a fish was to tease fishermen who, at this time, either had no fish or an incredible abundance. They would either have to wait around for spawning fish to be of legal size before catching them or, once it was finally time, they would be overwhelmed by catching so many fish rushing upstream. According to this theory, real herrings were the original sea critter of choice for the prank, and the trick was to hook a dead herring onto a fisherman’s back and see how long it took him to notice, as the fish began to progressively stink over the course of the day.

The poisson d’avril tradition took another turn in the early 20th century, when friends and lovers would exchange decorative postcards featuring ornate images of fish. The majority of these cards were inscribed with funny rhyming messages that were often flirtatious and suggestive, but cloaked in humor. While most cards depict young women, flowers, and fish, the ocean and other marine animals are occasionally featured, as well as references to advances in technology, such as airplanes and automobiles. Pierre Ickowicz, chief curator of the Château de Dieppe Museum in Normandy, which houses an impressive collection of these cards, says the card exchange tradition seems to have died out shortly after World War I. The museum’s 1,716 postcards are mainly from the 1920s-1930s

.

Poisson d’avril postcards from the 1920s and ’30s were full of flirtation and fish. WELLCOME COLLECTION/PUBLIC DOMAIN; FOTOTECA GILARDI/GETTY IMAGES

These days in France, the most common observers of poisson d’avril are schoolchildren, who delight in taping paper fish to the backs of their siblings, classmates, and teachers. Although the execution has varied over time, from dead herring accessories to postcards to paper fish, the prankster nature has been consistent.

“This idea of playing pranks on people is something that would be obnoxious if it weren’t socially condoned on certain days,” says Santino. He notes that times of transition are often connected to rites of passage where societal rules can be broken. “If poisson d’avril has to do with a recognition of springtime, I would link it to the idea of a celebratory transition into a new period of time, and part of that celebration means we can do things that are not usually allowed.”

Today, people celebrate poisson d’avril in both neighboring Italy and in Quebec, Canada, a former colony of France. The exact origins remain murky, but the fish endures. Whether or not you participate in any kind of trickster behavior on the first of April, there’s surely some relief today that an actual dead, stinky fish is no longer a regular part of April Fool’s day—or at least hopefully that bit of history doesn’t plant any devilish ideas.

Children are the main culprits today, but anyone can end up with a paper fish on their back on April 1. KEYSTONE-FRANCE/GETTY IMAGES; LAURENT SOLA/GETTY IMAGES

Spring equinox 2024: When it is and why it's also called the vernal equinox

Tiffany Acosta
Arizona Republic


Spring is blooming and with it comes the spring equinox. This celestial event occurs annually, marking the moment when the Earth's axis is neither tilted away from nor toward the sun, resulting in nearly equal lengths of day and night across the globe.

This phenomenon symbolizes the transition from winter to spring in the Northern Hemisphere and from summer to autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.

Beyond its astronomical significance, the spring equinox holds cultural, spiritual and metaphorical importance for many people worldwide. Throughout history, cultures have marked this occasion with festivals and ceremonies.

Here is everything you need to know about the spring equinox.

When is the spring equinox 2024?

The spring equinox officially starts at 8:06 p.m. Arizona time on Tuesday, March 19.
What is the difference between spring equinox and vernal equinox?

According to NASA, the terms "spring equinox" and "vernal equinox" refer to the same astronomical event and are used interchangeably. Both terms describe the moment when the sun crosses the celestial equator, moving from south to north.

Why is it called vernal equinox?

The term "vernal equinox" originates from Latin, where "vernal" means spring and "equinox" denotes the equal length of day and night. The term "vernal equinox" specifically emphasizes the seasonal aspect while "spring equinox" is more generic, referring to the equinox that occurs in springtime.
Is spring equinox always March 21?

No. The spring equinox does not always occur on March 21. While March 21 is often cited as the date of the spring equinox, it can occur on March 20 or 21st, depending on the year and time zone, according to Almanac.com. This variation is due to the complexities of Earth's orbit around the Sun and the adjustments made in the calendar system to account for these movements.

What happens at the spring equinox?

The spring equinox marks the moment when the sun crosses the celestial equator, heading northward. On this occasion, day and night are approximately of equal duration all over the Earth, according to the National Weather Service.

The spring equinox is considered the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Cultures around the world have celebrated this event for centuries through various rituals, festivals and traditions, often focusing on themes of fertility, growth and the balance between light and dark.

Will spring come early 2024?

Sorry, Punxsutawney Phil, but predicting whether spring will come early in a specific year depends on numerous factors such as weather patterns, atmospheric conditions and regional climate dynamics.

While the spring equinox occurs at a fixed point in time each year, the arrival of warmer temperatures, the blooming of flowers and other signs of spring can vary.


Some years may experience earlier spring due to warmer weather patterns or climate variability, while others may see colder temperatures lingering longer.

The spring equinox typically falls on March 20 or 21, but in a leap year like 2024, when February has an extra day, the equinox may occur a bit earlier.
What are the 4 equinox dates?

Here are the 2024 equinox and solstice dates, according to the National Weather Service:
Spring (vernal) equinox: March 19, 2024, at 9:06 p.m.
Summer solstice: June 20, 2024, at 2:51 p.m.
Autumn equinox: Sept. 22, 2024, at 6:43 a.m.
Winter solstice: Dec. 20, 2024, at 2:20 a.m.

All times are Arizona time.
What does the spring equinox symbolize?

The spring equinox symbolizes renewal and rejuvenation, the transition from darkness to light as nature emerges from the dormancy of winter.

Many cultures observe the spring equinox with festivals and rituals centered around fertility, abundance and the renewal of life, according to the almanac.com.

Ancient monuments such as the Sphinx in Egypt and Angkor Wat in Cambodia align with the equinox, showcasing humanity's historical reverence for this celestial event.

The spring equinox is also regarded as a time for balance, harmony and personal growth.
Yes, 'SNL' took on Kyrsten Sinema. No, it wasn't funny. Scarlett Johansson was, thoughWhen is the solar eclipse 2024? Here's how much of it you'll be able to see in ArizonaWhat time is the State of the Union? How to watch it — and the predictable media coverageHow to watch and stream the Oscars — and why this year you really should

Why is it called equinox?

The term "equinox" comes from the Latin words "aequus," meaning equal, and "nox," meaning night. It is called so because during the equinox, day and night are approximately equal in length.

It's a moment of balance and symmetry in the Earth's orbit around the sun, symbolizing the cyclical nature of time and the changing of seasons.

 

Reindeer sleep while chewing their cud

Peer-Reviewed Publication

CELL PRESS

 

IMAGE: 

REINDEER

view more 

CREDIT: LEO RESCIA

Researchers report December 22 in the journal Current Biology that the more time reindeer spend ruminating, the less time they spend in non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep. EEG recordings revealed that reindeer’s brainwaves during rumination resemble the brain waves present during non-REM sleep, and these brainwave patterns suggest that the reindeer are more “rested” after ruminating. The researchers speculate that this multitasking might help reindeer get enough sleep during the summer months, when food is abundant and reindeer feed almost 24/7 in preparation for the long and food-sparse arctic winter.

“The more reindeer ruminate, the less additional non-REM sleep they need,” says first author and neuroscientist Melanie Furrer of the University of Zurich. “We think it's very important that they are able to save time and cover their sleep and digestive needs at the same time, especially during the summer months.”

Light-dark cycles are absent in the Arctic during winter and summer, and previous studies showed that Arctic-dwelling reindeer don’t display circadian behavioral rhythms during these seasons, though they tend to be more active during the daytime during the spring and autumn equinox, when light-dark cycles are present. However, it was unknown whether these seasonal differences also impacted how much—and how well—reindeer sleep.

To investigate the influence of seasonal light-dark cycles on reindeer sleep patterns, the researchers performed non-invasive electroencephalography (EEG) on Eurasian tundra reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) in Tromsø, Norway (69°N), during the autumn equinox, summer solstice, and winter solstice. The reindeer, who were all adult females, were part of a captive herd at UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø, and the experiments were conducted in indoor stables with controlled lighting, unlimited food, and constant temperature.

They found that reindeer slept approximately the same amount during winter, summer, and autumn, despite the fact that they were much more active during the summer. This is in contrast to other species who change the amount they sleep in response to environmental conditions. On average, the reindeer spent 5.4 hours in non-REM sleep, 0.9 hours in REM sleep, and 2.9 hours ruminating during a given 24-hour period, regardless of season. 

“The fact that reindeer sleep the same amount during winter and summer implies that they must have other strategies to cope with limited sleep time during the arctic summer,” says Furrer.

One possible strategy is the opportunity for rest during rumination—the re-chewing of partially digested food, which is an important component of digestion for reindeer and other ruminants. Domestic sheep, goats, cattle, and Lesser mouse-deer have all been previously observed to produce sleep-like brain waves during rumination, but it was unclear whether rumination could serve a similar restorative function to sleep.

The researchers found that the reindeer’s EEG readings during rumination resembled brainwave patterns that are indicative of non-REM sleep including increased slow-wave activity and sleep spindles. Sleeping and ruminating reindeer also displayed similar behavior, tending to quietly sit or stand during both activities, and were less reactive to disturbances such as a neighboring reindeer sitting down or getting up—reindeer directly responded to these disturbances (by looking toward the neighboring reindeer) 45% of the time if they were awake, but only 25% of the time if they were ruminating, and 5% of the time if they were in non-REM sleep.

Next, the researchers tested whether rumination could reduce the reindeer’s drive to sleep by depriving the reindeer of sleep for 2 hours and measuring their brain waves during sleep before and after this deprivation. Following sleep deprivation, the reindeer’s EEG readings showed increased slow-wave activity, which is indicative of a build-up of “sleep pressure”—the unconscious biological drive for more and deeper sleep—suggesting that reindeer experience deeper sleep following sleep deprivation.

However, when the reindeer ruminated, this slow-wave activity was decreased during subsequent sleep, and the more they ruminated, the more the slow-wave activity decreased. “This suggests that rumination reduces sleep pressure, which could benefit the reindeer because it means they don’t have to compromise on sleep recovery when they spend more time ruminating,” says Furrer.

This is especially important during the summer, because the more they eat, the more time the reindeer need to spend ruminating. “Rumination increases nutrient absorption, so it’s crucial for reindeer to spend enough time ruminating during the summer in order to gain weight in anticipation of winter,” says Furrer.

Since reindeer appear to sleep while ruminating only some of the time, follow-up studies should compare the impact of rumination while sleeping with rumination while awake and would also ideally measure reindeer behavior and sleep in more natural outdoor conditions, the researchers say. However, such measurements would require surgically implanted EEG sensors rather than the non-invasive surface electrodes used in this study.

 “Another thing we could add is to look at young reindeer,” says Furrer. “We know sleep need is much higher in young children and babies compared to adults, so it would be interesting to look at sleep in younger reindeer.”

Screenshot of reindeer surveillance

CREDIT

Current Biology/Furrer et al.

This research was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation and UiT The Arctic University of Norway.

Current Biology, Furrer et al., “Rumination can substitute for sleep in reindeer” https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(23)01667-6

Current Biology (@CurrentBiology), published by Cell Press, is a bimonthly journal that features papers across all areas of biology. Current Biology strives to foster communication across fields of biology, both by publishing important findings of general interest and through highly accessible front matter for non-specialists. Visit http://www.cell.com/current-biology. To receive Cell Press media alerts, contact press@cell.com.

---

JOURNAL

Current Biology

DOI

10.1016/j.cub.2023.12.012 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Reindeer in the Arctic reduce sleep need during rumination

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

22-Dec-2023

What is solar winter and are we in it now? What to know about the darkest time of year

MARY WALRATH-HOLDRIDGE, USA TODAY
November 13, 2023 

Solar winter is simply defined as the quarter of the year with the shortest daylight.

Bad news for those who enjoy the long, lazy days of summer. We've now officially entered the darkest time of year.

While you've surely noticed the sky turning dark much sooner since the recent end of Daylight Saving Time, sunlight is set to become even more sparse as the Northern Hemisphere enters a time of year known as solar winter.

The waning daylight was made more noticeable by the recent time change, but the days have actually been getting shorter since the summer solstice on June 21. The summer solstice occurs when one of the Earth's poles, in this case the northern one, is titled closest to the sun, causing the longest day and shortest night of the calendar year.

After this, the days begin getting shorter until the winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year, at which point things turn around and start moving once more in the opposite direction.

This year, the winter solstice is set to occur on Dec. 21. Until then, we can expect things to keep getting, well, darker. So how does the solar winter play into all of this?


Daylight saving 2024: When is daylight saving time? Here's when we 'spring forward' in 2024

When does winter start in 2023? When the 2023 winter solstice falls and when winter begins
What is solar winter?

The sunset over Codorus State Park on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, in Manheim Township, Pennsylvania.

Solar winter is the quarter of the year with the least amount of daylight for the Northern Hemisphere, according to AccuWeather.com. While the dates are approximate and may change slightly from year to year, solar winter generally lasts from about Nov. 6 to Feb. 3.

Solar winter may be the darkest time of year, but that doesn't mean it's the coldest. Thanks to a phenomena called seasonal lag, it takes some time for Earth's land and water to catch up when temperatures begin to change between seasons. Warmer weather from the summer and fall carries over into the early phases of the winter, keeping temperatures higher.

Water has a higher heat capacity than land, meaning it takes more time and significant change in temperature for the waters that make up more than 70% of Earth's surface to cool down or warm up. The slowness of this process means that even if we are experiencing the darkest days of the year, we likely are not experiencing the coldest at the same time.

The daylight saving debate: Unpacking the century-long beef over daylight saving time
What comes after solar winter?

A boy rests halfway up the hill during an afternoon of sledding at Atkins Glen Park in Park Ridge, New Jersey, on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2023.

Each year, there are three phases of winter between November and December. While we have dates to dictate the "official" duration of each season, meteorologists and climatologists have a different way of defining the season.

Solar winter, where we are now, is the period from November to February in which the time between sunrise and sunset is shortest during the calendar year.


Meteorological winter, as the name implies, has less to do with sunlight and more with weather and temperature. This categorization of winter runs from Dec. 1 through February and coincides with the coldest months of the year.


Astronomical winter is based on the Earth's position relative to the sun and dictates the "official" start of winter. The calendar dates for the start of winter shift slightly each year based on the Earth's rotation, but this three-month period is dictated by the start of the winter solstice and ends with the spring equinox.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is solar winter? The darkest time of year has arrived

UAW members at the first Ford plant to go on strike overwhelmingly approve the new contract

TOM KRISHER
Updated Thu, November 2, 2023 




DETROIT (AP) — Autoworkers at the first Ford factory to go on strike have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a tentative contract agreement reached with the company.

Members of Local 900 at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan, west of Detroit voted 81% in favor of the four year-and-eight month deal, according to Facebook postings by local members on Thursday.

Two union officials confirmed the accuracy of the percentage Thursday. Neither wanted to be identified because the vote totals had not been made public.

About 3,300 United Auto Workers union members went on strike at the plant Sept. 15 after the union's contract with Ford expired. They remained on the picket lines until Oct. 25, when the union announced the tentative deal with Ford.

Production workers voted 81% to ratify the deal, while skilled trades workers voted 90% in favor. Voting at Ford will continue through Nov. 17.

Local union leaders from across the country at Jeep maker Stellantis voted unanimously on Thursday to send the contract to members for a vote. General Motors local leaders will meet on Friday. Dates for member voting at GM or Stellantis were not yet clear.

Marick Masters, a business professor at Wayne State University in Detroit who follows labor issues, said the vote at the Ford factory is a positive sign for the union.

“These workers are deeply in the know about the overall situation,” he said. “I think that they responded to it with such high levels of approval it is perhaps reflective of how the broader workforce represented by the UAW feels about this contract.”

Masters says union officials still have to make their cases to the membership, but “certainly this would appear to be a harbinger of good news.”

The deals with all three companies are generally the same, although there are some differences. All give workers 25% general pay raises with 11% upon ratification. With cost of living pay, the raises will exceed 30% by the time the contracts end on April 30, 2028. Workers hired after 2009 without defined benefit pensions will get 10% annual company contributions, and they'll get $5,000 ratification bonuses.

Workers began their strikes with targeted walkouts at all three automakers that escalated during a six-week period in an effort to pressure the companies into a deal. GM was the last company to settle early Sunday morning.

At its peak 46,000 union members had gone on strike at eight assembly plants and 38 parts warehouses across the nation. The union has about 146,000 members at all three of the Detroit auto companies.

A "UAW On Strike" sign held on a picket line outside the General Motors Co. Spring Hill Manufacturing plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee, on Oct. 30, 2023.


What's next in UAW ratification process after Big 3 reach deals with union

Amber Ainsworth
Thu, November 2, 2023

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Big Three automakers are inching closer to having new contract agreements with the UAW implemented.

Ford was the first to reach a tentative deal with the union, followed by Stellantis and General Motors. The deals from GM, Ford, and Stellantis all nearly mirror one another.

Read more about the deals:

Ford deal


Stellantis deal


GM deal

As the automakers reached tentative deals, the union suspended its strikes and pulled workers off the picket lines while the deals go through a process to get them approved.

That process includes being reviewed by a UAW National Council that votes to send the agreement to the membership. Once the council votes, members attend informational sessions to learn about the agreements before voting to ratify them.

UAW members who work at Ford are preparing to vote on their deal after the UAW National Ford Council voted to send it to the membership.

The UAW National Stellantis Council will meet in Detroit on Thursday to vote on that deal, while the UAW National GM Council will do the same Friday.

If the councils vote to send the deals to members, union leadership will hold a Facebook Live that same evening to go over the highlights of the contracts.

If union members do not approve the contracts, the strike will continue as automakers and the UAW head back to the bargaining table.

The Big Three are paying a big price to end the UAW strike — but that won’t necessarily jack up car prices

Analysis by Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN
Thu, November 2, 2023 

The historic United Auto Workers union strike against the nation’s three unionized automakers — Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis, known as the “Big Three” — could finally be over soon.

This news comes after all three automakers reached tentative deals with the union.

Ford was the first to announce it reached a tentative agreement with the UAW on Wednesday. Then came Stellantis over the weekend and GM today.
A brief refresher

The strike, which began nearly seven weeks ago, has been the longest US auto strike in 25 years. It was the first time in its history that the UAW staged a simultaneous strike against the nation’s three unionized automakers

The strike began at one assembly plant at each company, but the UAW expanded the scope of the strike six times since then in an effort to step up pressure on the companies at the bargaining table.

The production losses have likely cost the automakers billions of dollars. But the damage it’s done to the broader economy carries an even heftier price tag.

The first five weeks of the strike has had an economic impact of $9.3 billion, the Anderson Economic Group estimated.

Their estimate takes into account:

Lost wages for striking workers and other workers who were laid off or forced to work fewer hours

Lost earnings for the Big Three automakers

Supplier losses including delays and cancellations for car parts orders and the wage impact it’s had on workers within the industry

Dealer and customer losses as a result of indefinite delays of new vehicles
The final straw

The linchpin in negotiations between the UAW and Ford came on October 11, when the union struck Ford’s largest and most profitable plant, my colleague, Vanessa Yurkevich, reported.

Similarly, the UAW’s hardest hits against Stellantis and GM came shortly before both announced tentative deals.
What will this mean for car prices?

Now you’d think people in the market for a new car would pay the price, by way of higher car prices, given all the added costs the Big Three will face if the tentative deals go into effect.

But as my colleague Chris Isidore — CNN’s expert reporter in all things strike-related — tells me, there’s a good chance cars won’t get more expensive because of all this.

Here are a couple of reasons why:

Car prices are based on supply and demand. For instance, when demand was high but supply was constrained by a shortage of computer chips needed to build new cars a few years ago, prices went up to record levels. And at the end of the day, it was the auto dealers, which are independent businesses, that benefitted the most from buying cars at wholesale prices from automakers and selling them to consumers earning massive profits.


The automakers might cut corners somewhere else to maintain their pre-strike prices (think lower quality or less aesthetically appealing interiors, wheels or tires)


The Big Three have to stay competitive with nonunion automakers which keeps their car prices in check


The automakers will need to find ways to build cars more efficiently and figure out how to make money selling electric vehicles

TLDR: The biggest loser is probably going to be the automakers who are going to see their profits decline one way or another.
One last thing — none of this is a done deal

You may have noticed I use the word “tentative” multiple times. That’s because the historic strike doesn’t officially end until it is ratified by rank-and-file members.

And it is possible that members at one or more companies could vote down the tentative deal, leading to a resumption of the strike at that company, CNN’s Yurkevich and Isidore wrote.

UAW strikes end: What it means for Biden, Big Three

Angel Smith and Brad Smith
Wed, November 1, 2023 

Autoworkers have concluded a six-week strike, securing tentative agreements with Detroit's Big Three automakers—Ford (F), Stellantis (STLA), and General Motors (GM). The deals encompass increased pay for union workers and involvement in the EV transition.

Yahoo Finance's Rick Newman explores the potential aftermath of the strikes, including what it means for President Biden's reelection, heightened costs for automakers, and the prospect of UAW expanding unionization to non-union plants like Tesla and Volkswagen.

For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Yahoo Finance Live.
Video Transcript

BRAD SMITH: The picket signs are down for now. The UAW has ended its six-week campaign of coordinated strikes after reaching tentative deals with the three big automakers in Detroit. Among other guarantees, workers will see higher pay and inclusion in the EV transition. But that transition has been costly, for both Ford and GM have recently scaled back investments.

In an effort to make EVs more attractive, car companies led by Tesla have cut prices significantly. The average EV price tag has fallen a staggering 22% from last year, according to Kelley Blue Book. So what do higher labor costs and lower price tags mean for the Detroit three autoworkers? Joining us now, we've got Yahoo Finance's Rick Newman to help us break this down a little bit more. Hey, Rick.

RICK NEWMAN: Hey, guys. A lot of implications from the end of this strike. I think clearly a win for the United Auto Workers and its members. So there are a lot of questions about what happens next. First of all, this went pretty well for President Biden. Remember, he went to-- he went up to Michigan and he walked a picket line and political analysts said, oh, risky move for a president to take sides.

Well, Biden seemed to have taken the right side in this, and that's going to give him some credibility during the election next year, because those-- you know, those states, Michigan and Wisconsin in particular, are swing states, and Biden can go there. And he said, look, I've been on the side of the unionized workers here for the start, from the start, I proved it by coming up when you guys were on strike, and vote for me. He's got a pretty good case there.

Now, we've got three Detroit automakers that are going to face higher costs. Ford estimated that this deal will add about $900 to the cost of producing a car in the United States with unionized labor. That is a lot. $900 on the-- added to the cost of a car-- I mean, automakers work like mad to trim the cost of a part by $0.25. So that actually puts the Detroit automakers at more of a cost disadvantage than they were before.

However, the union thinks they have a pretty good shot at unionizing some of the other automakers that do not currently employ unionized workers. Tesla is a big one out in California and down in Texas. There are many foreign-based automakers that have factories mostly in the South that are not unionized.

The UAW has tried before without success to unionize a couple of those, but there's a new mood in the country about unions. They are more popular than they have been in a long time, and probably some of the workers at those plants are saying to themselves, I would like to get paid what those UAW members in the upper Northwest working for the Detroit three are going to get paid. So there is a lot more to come on this.

- Speaking of that more to come, we've seen just this labor uprising in a variety of industries, Rick, and the UAW said they aim to target non-union auto plants in the US. Like, you know, you've talked about this, companies like Toyota, Volkswagen, and Tesla. What can you tell us about unionization efforts with regard to those and the targeting of those automakers?

RICK NEWMAN: You know, until this year, I mean, it seemed like unions really were just in long term decline, they weren't popular, and they were not likely to get any traction where-- I mean, look at what's been happening with Amazon. You know, workers trying to Amazon at union-- at Amazon places of employment, warehouses, and stuff like that. I mean, some want to do it, but it's not like there's a groundswell of support to do it.

That seems like it could be changing, and, boy, one of the things that could end up being quite dramatic is if there is a unionized-- a serious unionization effort at Tesla. Elon Musk is one of the most anti-union CEOs in America, and you have to wonder, what would Elon Musk do if the UAW tried to unionize his plant?

He is opening a plant, or he plans to open a new plant in Mexico-- and, by the way, this is another possible unintended consequence of when American labor costs go up. A lot of the automakers do have-- do have factories in Mexico where it is way cheaper to build stuff, and it would not be surprising if you saw more auto production going to Mexico. You know, a nearby country that is easy to ship stuff to and from. And could Tesla do that with some of the cars they build in the United States? I mean, we may be talking a couple of years down the road here, but I think some fascinating battles might be coming.

- Yeah, you're right. That would certainly be one to watch if Tesla would ever be unionized. I mean, I agree with you. We certainly know that Elon Musk has been anti-union, so we'll see if that even could take off.

Expert Claims Resolution of UAW Strike Will Strengthen ‘Growth of Electric Vehicles’ — Here’s Why

Yaёl Bizouati-Kennedy
Thu, November 2, 2023

DeeCee Carter / MediaPunch / Shutterstock.com


Following a six-week strike, United Auto Workers (UAW) reached what it calls a “historic tentative agreement with General Motors that paves the way for a just transition and wins record economic gains for autoworkers.” And now, some experts argue that the resolution could also strengthen the growth of electric vehicles. (EVs).

More Bang for Your Buck: Cars That Last Twice as Long as Average Vehicles
Be Aware: 6 Used Cars To Stay Away From

“Like the agreements with Ford and Stellantis, the GM agreement has turned record profits into a record contract. The deal includes gains valued at more than four times the gains from the union’s 2019 contract. It provides more in base wage increases than GM workers have received in the past 22 years,” the UAW said in a statement.

The agreement includes 25% in base wage increases through April 2028, and will cumulatively raise the top wage by 33% compounded with estimated cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) to over $42 an hour, according to the statement. The starting wage will increase by 70% compounded with estimated COLA to over $30 an hour.

In a comment to Newsweek, Cornell University professor and labor expert Harry Katz said of the deals, “I think it’s helped, rather than hindered, the growth of electric vehicles.”
Why Does It Matter for EV Growth?

As Newsweek reported, EVs have been at the center of negotiations during the strike against Ford, GM and Stellantis, the company that makes the Jeep, Ram and Chrysler brands.

More: Avoid 5 Electric Vehicles That Will Likely Break Down After 50,000 Miles

During negotiations, industry executives argued they couldn’t produce EVs at scale and remain competitive while paying higher wages, according to Newsweek. But the dilemma proved to be false when automakers granted the deals, Jason Walsh, executive director of the BlueGreen Alliance (a coalition of environmental groups and labor organizations, including the UAW), told Newsweek.
More Costs for EV Makers

Yet, according to Peter C. Earle, economist, American Institute for Economic Research, there are tradeoffs associated with entering wage agreements.

“Yes, the automakers are gaining some increased certainty in their cost structure, but only over the term of the UAW agreement,” said Earle. “And if other aspects of production costs change — for example, higher costs of inputs, such as raw materials — the inflexibility (“stickiness”) of labor costs present a burden to overcome — and quite possibly a factor forcing final prices higher.”

According to him, by agreeing to unionize the workforce at the new EV and battery facilities, another layer of expense has been added to the price of the final product.

“For just like tariffs, regulatory fees, and other such costs, the increased expense of collective bargaining agreements will be borne by the end customer, not by the auto companies,” he said.
EV Makers Have Bigger Issues Than Resolution of Strike and Associated Costs

For Ford, GM, and Stellantis, according to Peter Glenn, founder and co-CEO of EV Life, resolving the strike has a relatively low cost, and more importantly, enables these automakers to get back to addressing two much bigger EV issues: the EV green premium and the lack of reliable public charging.

“One of the developments we’re excited to watch for 2024 is how Ford and GM electric vehicles gaining access to Tesla’s NACS SuperCharger network will improve its sales,” said Glenn.

Glenn added that Tesla’s public charging network is the only reliable charging network in America, so when Ford, GM and other non-Tesla vehicles get access to them in 2024, their EV sales will scale rapidly with consumer confidence in knowing that they can use Tesla’s world class charging network in their Ford or GM vehicles.

“By resolving the labor dispute and scaling manufacturing, Ford and GM can take full advantage of maximizing their EV sales as they gain access to NACS,” he added.

As for the green premium on EVs, Glenn said that it “may be a taller order.”

He noted that according to KBB data, the average price of a non-luxury new car in the U.S. is $45,000. And while the Ford Mach-E, Chevy Bolt and Equinox, and even Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3 start from below $45,000, even these EVs still cost $10,000 to $20,000 more than equivalent commuter ICE vehicles like the Toyota RAV4 and Camry.

“With interest rates unlikely to drop significantly until at least late 2024, automakers and consumers should be looking for new and innovative ways to finance EVs that are different from traditional auto loans,” he added.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Expert Claims Resolution of UAW Strike Will Strengthen ‘Growth of Electric Vehicles’ — Here’s Why

UAW releases Ford factory plans from 2023 tentative deal: Which plants get what products

Phoebe Wall Howard, Detroit Free Press
Wed, November 1, 2023

As hourly workers at Ford Motor Co. begin this week voting on whether to ratify the tentative agreement, one thing they know for certain is that all plants have been assigned future product.

This is a top priority for autoworkers who don't want to be stuck at a plant with an uncertain future.

In its tentative deal with the UAW, Ford has proposed $8.1 billion in plant investments by the end of the 2023 agreement. Here's where the investments are to go to:

Assembly operations

A Ford logo decorates the grass outside the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023.

Chicago Assembly Plant in Illinois: $400 million to continue building the Ford Explorer, including the hybrid electric and Police Interceptor Utility. Lincoln Aviator will continue through its product life cycle.


Dearborn Truck Plant/Rouge Electric Vehicle Center (REVC): $900 million to continue building the F-150, including hybrid electric and Raptor. The all-electric F-150 Lightning will continue through its product life cycle. An all-new EV truck will be added.


Flat Rock Assembly Plant: $50 million to continue building the Mustang. Pending program approval, new product will be added.


Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri: $1 billion to continue building the F-150, including hybrid electric and Police Interceptor. Transit will continue. The Transit EV will continue through its planned product life cycle.


Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville: $750 million to continue building Super Duty, Expedition including hybrid, and Lincoln Navigator including hybrid electric.


Louisville Assembly in Kentucky: $1.2 billion to continue building the Escape through its planned product life cycle and the Lincoln Corsair through its planned product life cycle. A new EV product will be added.


Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne including Integral Stamping and Assembly and Body Stamping Unit: $250 million to continue building the Ranger and Ranger Raptor, the Bronco and Bronco Raptor. A third production crew will be added. Stamping for the Mustang, Bronco, Bronco Raptor, Ranger, Ranger Raptor, F-150, Expedition, Navigator and Super Duty will continue. Stamping for the Escape and the Corsair will continue through their planned life cycle.


Ohio Assembly Plant in Sheffield: $2.1 billion to continue building Super Duty, F-650 and F-750 pickups, E-Series cutaway and stripped chassis. A new EV van will be added.
Engine operations

Dearborn Engine Plant: $20 million to continue building the Duratec engine and 5.2L SC engine. An all-new EV battery pack is planned.


Cleveland Engine Plant in Brook Park, Ohio: $100 million to continue making the Duratec and Cyclone engines.


Lima Engine Plant in Ohio: $90 million to continue making Cyclone and Nano engines.


Woodhaven Forging: $3 million to continue the current engine family forgings. A forged steel crankshaft for the 7.3L engine program will be added.
Transmission and driveline

Ford Automatic Transmission plant in Livonia, Saturday, May 4, 2019.

Livonia Transmission: $120 million to continue building 10R transmission, 8FM transmission, and 6R transmission through its planned product life cycle. Current gears will continue.

Sharonville Transmission in Cincinnati, Ohio: $160 million to continue 10R transmission and current gear families. And 6R transmission will continue through its planned product life cycle.

Van Dyke Electric Powertrain Center in Sterling Heights: $230 million to continue current EV power unit, 8F57 transmission, HF55 transmission and 6F and HF45 through their planned life cycles. A new EV power unit will be added.

Rawsonville Components in Ypsilanti: $200 million to continue GEN IV battery and add additional capacity, continue BEV H and BEV G batteries through their planned life cycle, add an all new hybrid battery. AIS, Carbon cannisters, sequencing and 10R oil pump will continue, coil on plug and 6R oil pump will continue through their planned life cycles.

Sterling Axle: $130 million to continue axle production for the F-150, Super Duty, Mustang, Expedition, Navigator, Explorer, Transit. Lincoln Aviator axle production continues through its product life cycle.

Stamping

Buffalo Stamping in New York: $80 million to continue stamping for Super Duty, Expedition, Navigator, E-Series and medium-duty F-Series trucks. Continue stamping Edge, Lincoln Nautilus through their planned product life cycles. Add stamping for an all new EV.

Chicago Stamping: $30 million to continue stamping for Explorer, Transit and Super Duty. Continue stamping for Aviator through its planned life cycle.

Dearborn Stamping: $150 million (shared with plant below) to continue stamping for F-150, Expedition, Navigator, Bronco, Super Duty. Stamping for Lightning will continue through its planned life cycle. Stamping for all new EV at REVC.

Dearborn Diversified Manufacturing: $150 million (shared with plant above) to continue hydroforming for the F-150, Expedition, Navigator, Bronco, Super Duty. Axle, shock, tire front wheel end assembly for F-150. Tire and wheel will continue for Edge through its planned life cycle.

Woodhaven Stamping: $150 million to continue stamping for Explorer, Bronco, Mustang and service parts. Stamping for a new EV will be added. Stampings and hot metal forming for Escape, Corsair and Aviator will continue through their planned life cycle. Stampings and hot metal forming for Explorer will continue.

The UAW also negotiated the right to strike over a plant closing or sale.
Where General Motors stands on product commitments

A UAW spokesman told the Detroit Free Press on Tuesday that the list for GM has not yet been released.
Where Stellantis stands on product commitments

A UAW spokesman told the Free Press that the complete list for Stellantis has not yet been released. The tentative agreement, though, does include the reopening of the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois with a new vehicle and the addition of more than 1,000 jobs at an EV battery facility.

All three automakers await ratification of their proposed UAW contracts. Ford employees start voting this week.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: UAW releases Ford factory plans: Which plants get what products

ICYMI

The fall equinox is here. What does that mean?

by Maddie Burakoff

The sun sets beyond the downtown skyline of Kansas City, Mo., as the autumnal equinox 

marks the first day of fall Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023

During the equinox, the Earth’s axis and its orbit line up so that both hemispheres get an equal amount of sunlight. Credit: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File

Fall is in the air—officially. The equinox arrives on Saturday, marking the start of the fall season for the Northern Hemisphere. But what does that actually mean? Here's what to know about how we split up the year using the Earth's orbit.

What is the equinox?

As the Earth travels around the sun, it does so at an angle.

For most of the year, the Earth's axis is tilted either toward or away from the sun. That means the sun's warmth and light fall unequally on the northern and southern halves of the planet.

During the equinox, the Earth's axis and its orbit line up so that both hemispheres get an equal amount of sunlight.

The word equinox comes from two Latin words meaning equal and night. That's because on the equinox, day and night last almost the same amount of time—though one may get a few extra minutes, depending on where you are on the planet.

The Northern Hemisphere's spring—or vernal—equinox can land between March 19 and 21, depending on the year. Its fall—or autumnal—equinox can land between Sept. 21 and 24.

What is the solstice?

The solstices mark the times during the year when the Earth is seeing its strongest tilt toward or away from the sun. This means the hemispheres are getting very different amounts of sunlight—and days and nights are at their most unequal.

During the Northern Hemisphere's summer solstice, the upper half of the earth is tilted in toward the sun, creating the longest day and shortest night of the year. This solstice falls between June 20 and 22.

Meanwhile, at the winter solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is leaning away from the sun—leading to the shortest day and longest night of the year. The winter solstice falls between December 20 and 23.

What's the difference between meteorological and astronomical seasons?

These are just two different ways to carve up the year.

Meteorological seasons are defined by the weather. They break down the year into three-month seasons based on annual temperature cycles. By that calendar, spring starts on March 1, summer on June 1, fall on Sept. 1 and winter on Dec. 1.

Astronomical seasons depend on how the Earth moves around the sun.

Equinoxes, when the sun lands equally on both hemispheres, mark the start of spring and autumn. Solstices, when the Earth sees its strongest tilt toward or away from the sun, kick off summer and winter.

© 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

It's the first day of spring: Here's what that really means

Why the first day of autumn is later than usual this year

Glenn Roberts · Columnist | Posted: a day ago 

An illustration of the March (spring) and September (fall or autumn) equinoxes. During the equinoxes, both hemispheres receive equal amounts of daylight. - NASA/JPL-Caltech

You might be wondering why the autumnal equinox is on Sept. 23 this year – it officially starts at 3:50 a.m. ADT (4:20 a.m. NDT) – and not on the usual date, Sept. 21 or 22.

The date of the autumnal equinox – like the vernal equinox, summer and winter solstices – can vary yearly.

Its date is not determined by the calendar but is an astronomical moment in time when the sun crosses the celestial equator (the plane of the Earth's equator extended out into space), moving from north to south.

While equinoxes and solstices occur at the same moment in time across the globe, due to varying time zones, the actual date of the equinox or solstice may vary, depending on geographical location.

Autumnal equinoxes can occur between Sept. 21-24; in 2024, it's on Sept. 22

Equal day and night

On the date of the autumnal equinox, the sun is directly overhead at local solar time (as seen from Earth's equator).

The word "equinox" comes from the Latin words aequs (meaning "equal") and nox (meaning "night"), referring to equal daylight and nighttime.

There are two equinoxes each year: autumnal and spring here in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, Sept. 23 marks the southern vernal equinox or the beginning of their spring.

On the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, the Earth's axis is neither tilted towards or away from the sun (as it is during the summer and winter solstices in the Northern Hemisphere). The amount of sunlight striking both hemispheres of the Earth's surface is pretty much the same: every latitude across the planet receives approximately the same amount of daylight as it does darkness as the sun is directly over the equator.

Day and night are only relatively equal in length for areas close to the equator; the length of day and night for non-equatorial regions depends on latitude.

For example, on Sept. 23, in Charlottetown, P.E.I., (latitude 46.23824 degrees north), the sun will rise at 7 a.m. and set just after 7:08 p.m., giving a day length of 12 hours, eight minutes, and nine seconds.

On the day of both equinoxes, the sun will rise almost due east and set almost due west, depending on your exact latitude. Charlottetown, on Sept. 23, will see the sunrise at 89 degrees east and set at 271 degrees west.

Decreasing light

Except for tropical regions, most locations in the Northern Hemisphere see a slow but steady decrease in daylight after the summer solstice (the longest day of the year), with the day-to-day differences greatest around the date of the autumnal equinox.

The same is true for the spring equinox, except the daylight period steadily grows longer.

After the autumnal equinox, the daylight period continues to shorten at an ever-decreasing rate until the winter solstice (the shortest period of daylight of the year), when it reaches zero.

Regions closer to the poles experience larger day-to-day differences than those closer to the equator.

Equilux

The moment when daylight and nighttime hours are equal is known as an "equilux," occurring a few days before the spring equinox and after the autumnal equinox in both hemispheres.

For Charlottetown, the equilux is Sept. 25. If you would like to find out when an equilux will occur where you live (you will need to know your approximate latitude), go to timeanddate.com/astronomy/equilux.html.

Astronomy vs. meteorology

The astronomical definition of when seasons begin differs from the meteorological definition.

While astronomical autumn begins Sept. 23, meteorological autumn (which defines the start of the seasons as occurring on the first day of the month that includes the equinox or solstice) occurred Sept. 1.

As the Earth doesn't move at a constant speed in its orbit around the sun, the actual timings of equinoxes and solstices can change each year, meaning the length of astronomical seasons also varies.

On average, the autumnal season in the North Hemisphere lasts about 89.8 days; in the Southern Hemisphere, it's approximately 92.8 days.

Differences

Not all countries use the astronomical definition of when the seasons change.

Australia and New Zealand use the meteorological definition to mark seasons, with spring starting Sept. 1. Some Southeast Asian cultures divide the year into six seasons.

Finland and Sweden base the date of seasons not on a calendar, but on temperature. Seasons within these two countries start and end on different dates, depending on each region's climate.

Global climate change will, no doubt, dramatically alter how these countries determine the start of their seasons.

This week's sky

Mercury (magnitude +2.5, in Leo - the Lion) has emerged from inferior solar conjunction and will reach its highest point in the morning sky 16 degrees above the eastern horizon on Sept. 23, before fading from view as the sun rises.

Venus (magnitude -4.5, in Cancer - the Crab), now at its brightness morning apparition, rises around 3:35 a.m., reaching an altitude of 29 degrees above the eastern horizon, before fading from view around 6:30 a.m.

Saturn (magnitude +0.5, in Aquarius - the Water Bearer) becomes accessible shortly before 8 p.m., 12 degrees above the southeast horizon as darkness falls, reaching a height of 31 degrees above the southern horizon by 11:40 p.m., and remaining visible until about 3:35 a.m. when it drops below 10 degrees above the southwest horizon.

Jupiter (magnitude -2.7, in Aries - the Ram) is visible by about 10 p.m., seven degrees above the eastern horizon, reaching its highest point of 58 degrees in the pre-dawn, southern sky around 4:15 a.m., then becoming lost in the dawn twilight 47 degrees above the southwest horizon by 6:30 a.m.

Mars, two degrees below the western horizon at dusk, is not observable this week.

Comet C/2023 P1 Nishimura reached perihelion (its closest passage of the sun) on Sept. 17 and is too close to the sun to be observed in the western, post-sunset twilight. It will pull away from the sun over the coming weeks, and, although fading in brightness, may still be visible.

Until next week, clear skies.

---

Events:

• Sept. 18 – Venus at greatest brightness in morning sky; mag, -4.5
• Sept. 22 – First Quarter Moon
• Sept. 23 – Autumnal Equinox; start of autumn season in Northern Hemisphere
• Sept. 23 – Mercury at its highest altitude in the morning sky; 16 degrees above the eastern horizon

---

Glenn K. Roberts lives in Stratford, P.E.I., and has been an avid amateur astronomer since he was a small child. He welcomes comments from readers at glennkroberts@gmail.com.

IS THE DAY 12 HOURS LONG ON THE EQUINOX? IT'S COMPLICATED

BY: BOB KING SEPTEMBER 20, 2023  

Denser air near the horizon acts like a lens and refracts (bends) the Sun's bottom half upward into the top, compressing the solar disk into a bean. Refraction also "lifts" the Sun into view at the horizon about 2 minutes before the real Sun arrives there. Both effects increase the amount of daylight we experience at the equinoxes.
Bob King

Astronomical cycles acquaint us with the inevitable. That's what I'm thinking right now as we approach the first official day of fall (spring in the southern hemisphere), also known as the autumnal equinox. At 2:49 a.m. EDT, the Sun will cross the celestial equator going south and won't stop its descent until it bumps into the winter solstice on December 21st.

The celestial equator is a projection of Earth's equator on the sky. On that special day, the Sun will pass directly overhead at noon for residents living along the equator, from Nairobi to Quito to Singapore. At local noon, when the Sun passes overhead, residents won't be able to avoid stepping on their shadows. On the same day at the North and South Poles the Sun scrapes completely around the horizon. And no matter where you live except the poles it rises due east and sets due west.

At both the spring and fall equinoxes, the Earth's axis tilts neither toward nor away from the Sun but sidelong. Day and night momentarily strike a balance, each of them 12 hours long on this day, so neither one of them has the upper hand. That's why we call it the equinox, which literally means "equal night." Right?

Don't believe it. There's more to daylight on the equinox than you might think.

THE SUN'S DISK

Venus, pictured here at dawn on September 14, 2023, is essentially a point source compared the Sun's disk.
Bob King

Even on the equinox, daylight still edges out night for two reasons. First, the Sun is a disk, not a point source. If the Sun were simply a more brilliant version of Venus, all of it would rise in one pop. Instead, sunrise is defined as the moment when the Sun's upper edge breaches the horizon. Since the solar disk is about ½° in diameter, its full disk takes between 2.5 and 3 minutes at mid-latitudes to clear the horizon. Similarly, sunset is the moment the trailing limb finally touches the western horizon. That adds another 2.5 to 3 minutes of sunshine at day's end. The result is a total of approximately 5 to 6 minutes of additional daylight. By the way, this is true for every day of the year, not just on the equinox.

As one approaches the Arctic at the time of the fall equinox, the Sun's angle of ascent becomes shallower and shallower. In Alert, Nunavut, the northernmost continuously inhabited place in the world, it takes more than 16 minutes from the moment of sunrise until the Sun clears the eastern horizon! At the equator — the opposite extreme — the Sun rockets straight up from the due-east horizon and extricates itself in just over 2 minutes.

THE EARTH'S AIR

Adding to the complexity is the fact that Earth has air. Consider atmospheric refraction, in which light rays are bent when they pass from a less dense medium (outer space) into a more dense medium (Earth's atmosphere). A familiar example is the "broken" straw sticking out of a glass of water. Light from the top of the straw travels directly to our eyes, while light from the underwater part is refracted (bent) and travels in a slightly different direction, making it look as if it's fractured.

A pencil in a glass of water looks broken because we see the top part through air and the bottom part through the denser medium of water, which bends or refracts the light in a different direction to our eyes. Refraction effects also magnify the submerged half.
Bob King

As the Sun approaches the horizon, air density rapidly increases, making refraction effects much stronger along the bottom edge of the solar disk compared to the top. The difference bends or "lifts" the bottom half of the solar disk into the top half, flattening an otherwise circular Sun into an oval.

You can see the Sun several minutes before it actually rises due to strong refraction at the horizon which bends light rays upward into view.
Sciencia58 / CC BY-SA 4.0

Even before the Sun has physically risen in the morning, refraction elevates its upper edge, causing it to appear nearly 3 minutes (at mid-latitudes) beforehand. Likewise, the actual Sun sets several minutes before its refracted light does. If you were to remove Earth's atmosphere at sunset, sunlight would disappear the moment the entire solar disk sets.

So, we'll need to add another 5 to 6 minutes of daylight to the equinox due to Earth's atmosphere. Even if we were to imagine a hypothetical point at the center of the solar disk instead of the full Sun, atmospheric refraction would also lift it into view earlier and hold onto it later just like all celestial sources.

On an airless Earth, we could watch the solar corona precede the sunrise by blocking the glaring white solar disk from view. All would proceed unaffected by refraction.
Stellarium

EQUAL LIGHT ON THE EQUILUX

Are days and nights ever 12 hours apiece? Yes! Well, close. This occurs at the equilux, a delightful word that derives from the Latin equi (equal) and lux (light). While the equinox occurs across the planet at the same moment, the equilux varies according to latitude.

In the Northern Hemisphere, it occurs several days after the autumnal equinox (on September 25th or 26th at mid-northern latitudes) and several days before the vernal equinox; in the Southern Hemisphere, it's the other way around.

At the equator, day and night are never exactly equal — daylight always exceeds night by 6 to 8 minutes due to the Sun's large apparent size. At the same time, though, day and night are nearly equal every day of the year.

City Latitude Approximate date of equilux

Anchorage, Ak. 61° Sept. 25

Calgary, Alberta 51° Sept. 25

Champaign, Ill. 40° Sept. 26

New Orleans, La. 30° Sept. 27

Honolulu, Hawai'i 21° Sept. 28

San José, Costa Rica 10° Oct. 4

Bogotá, Colombia 5° Oct. 19

Quito, Ecuador 0° Never

Traveling south, equilux dates increasingly part from the equinox date.

Data from Stellarium and other sources

While the equilux concept is great in principle, a perfect balance of day and night isn't possible from many locations because daylight is decreasing at the rate of 2 to 3 minutes per day, not minute by minute. For that reason day and night lengths often differ by about a minute. For example, in Detroit the equilux occurs on September 25th, when the time between sunrise and sunset is only about 13 seconds shy of 12 hours. In Phoenix it occurs on the same date, but daylight is a little more than a minute longer than night.

Isn't splitting hairs fun?

Fall leaves frame the waning gibbous Moon in early October 2020.
Bob King

The equinox is a happy time to be a night-sky watcher. Insects retreat, and evening temperatures are cool and pleasant. To stand under a dark sky before 9 o'clock is a joy. During the summer many of us start observing at the very time we should be getting to bed. These chances occur because of Earth's tilted axis. As the Sun hastens south, the curtain of darkness drops incrementally earlier. Before you know it, the insatiable night will make sunshine a prized commodity.

Happy equinox and equilux indeed!

Bpl.org

https://www.bpl.org/blogs/post/the-origins-and-practices-of-mabon

The Origins and Practices of Mabon | Boston Public Library 

Sep 20, 2019 ... Mabon is a pagan holiday, and one of the eight Wiccan sabbats celebrated during the year. Mabon celebrates the autumnal equinox.

En.wikipedia.org

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabon

Mabon - Wikipedia 

Mabon, the Autumnal equinox in some versions of the Pagan Wheel of the Year · Mabon ap Modron, a figure in Welsh Arthurian legend · Maponos, a pre-Christian ...

History.co.uk

https://www.history.co.uk/articles/mabon-the-pagan-festival-that-marks-the-autumn-equinox

Mabon: The pagan festival that marks the autumn equinox 

However, it is now, though a purely pagan/neo-pagan holiday, and one of the eight Wiccan sabbats celebrated during the year. Mabon occurs between the 21st and ...

Cosmopolitan.com

https://www.cosmopolitan.com/lifestyle/a37051456/how-to-celebrate-mabon

How to Celebrate Mabon 2023, Holiday Meaning & Celebrati... 

Aug 16, 2023 ... Mabon is essentially a harvest festival. Ancient Celts and pagans used this day to give thanks to nature for a good harvest and to pray to their ...

Diversity.iu.edu

https://diversity.iu.edu/cultural-involvement/holiday-religious-observances/description/autumn-equinox-mabon.html

Autumn Equinox (Mabon): Description: Religious Holidays and ... 

Autumn Equinox (Mabon) (Mah-bon or May-bon). While Mabon is not one of the four major sabbats in Wicca, it is one of the eight and is thus significant. It ...