All 24 solar terms · 16/24
Autumn Equinox 秋分 · Qiūfēn
Day and night are about equal and autumn is at its midpoint. Since 2018 the Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival (中国农民丰收节) is held on this day; historically the moon was honoured at Qiufen before the custom moved to Mid-Autumn.
- Longitude of the Sun180°
- Jie / ZhongqiZhongqi (中气), a principal term: it fixes the months of the lunar calendar
- Sekki秋分 shūbun
Autumn Equinox: when it begins, 2026 to 2031
| 2026 | 23 September 2026, 08:05 | 23 September, 00:05 UTC |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 23 September 2027, 14:02 | 23 September, 06:02 UTC |
| 2028 | 22 September 2028, 19:45 | 22 September, 11:45 UTC |
| 2029 | 23 September 2029, 01:38 | 22 September, 17:38 UTC |
| 2030 | 23 September 2030, 07:27 | 22 September, 23:27 UTC |
| 2031 | 23 September 2031, 13:15 | 23 September, 05:15 UTC |
Its three kō in Japan
- 雷乃収声 kaminari sunawachi koe o osamu: Thunder ceases · 23 September 2027
- 蟄虫坏戸 mushi kakurete to o fusagu: Insects seal their burrows · 28 September 2027
- 水始涸 mizu hajimete karu: Fields are drained · 3 October 2027
Calculated from the Sun's apparent position (PyEphem), to about a minute. Names, meanings and customs after the Hong Kong Observatory, the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan and UNESCO.