27 Facts About Autumn That Are Absolutely Astounding!

Do you know that the inhabitants of North America, as well as Canada, refer to autumn as the season of fall?

In several countries, a school year initiates with the fall. Schools in the United Kingdom have an 'Autumn Term' which is the period between early September and mid-December.

The temperature is dropping and there's a slight chill in the air. The birds are busy preparing for migration while the roads are enveloped with red, orange, yellow, and brown autumn leaves that have started dropping from trees. In the Northern Hemisphere autumn arrives in the month of September probably around September 22 while the Southern Hemisphere enjoys autumn in March, around March 1.

For countries located on and around the Equator, the months of autumn resemble spring so they experience a negligible amount of seasonal variation. However, as the days gradually become shorter after the Autumnal equinox, there's comparatively less exposure to light. Research suggests that during this time people tend to put on weight owing to inadequate vitamin D levels.

Nevertheless, in western cultures, autumn months are filled with celebration and mirth. Moreover, it's time for Halloween and Thanksgiving! The most celebrated autumn festival in the Northern Hemisphere is Halloween while Canada has its national holiday on Thanksgiving.

A freshly baked pumpkin or apple pie is definitely the cherry on top of the cake. There's hardly a person who doesn't love the autumn season!

If you enjoyed reading about these enticing autumn facts then you can also check out these facts about why do leaves fall and what is aurora borealis also known to gain a deeper perspective.

Global Warming

Are you preparing for early autumn? You might be a tad bit disappointed to know that the arrival of the fall has been delayed. The ill effects of global warming are not unknown to the world. Currently, global warming and climate change are the two major threats that the entire world is striving to eradicate. Both of these factors render major damages to the autumn season too. If you want to know how these factors impact the fall foliage then read along.

Who doesn't fall for the spellbinding fall colors? Although the red, orange, brown, and yellow autumn leaves that adorn the roads and courtyards might need occasional clean-ups, it offers a soothing view and spiritual rejuvenation. People from all across the world pour in to witness the fall colors.

An interesting fact about the fall foliage is that the color of the leaves is actually not the result of the change in weather conditions. The colors are determined by the amount of photosynthesis due to exposure to daylight. Nevertheless, factors like the increase in earth's temperature, change in amounts and timing of precipitation as well as humidity, and infestation of pests have significantly affected the colors of autumn.

While the summer months have been elongated due to climate change, autumn becomes short-lived. The colors of leaves have been dulled and muted while the leaves fall off at a premature stage. Additionally, sudden storms and strong showers also cause the falling of leaves before autumn sets in. It's, therefore, crucial to adopt the necessary constructive measures to avert these negative impacts so that nature can be experienced at its full splendor.

Aurora Borealis

Have you been fortunate enough to behold the mystical Northern lights? Well, if you haven't yet got the chance then you can surely root for it this fall for the most memorable lifetime experience.

Are you aware that autumn and spring are actually called the Aurora season? As per research conducted by NASA, fall is the most ideal season to experience the enchanting beauty of the Aurora Borealis! This is because most of the geomagnetic storms that are responsible for the enthralling Northern Lights displays occur during September and March. Equinox cracks are created at the time of Autumn equinox when the solar winds are directed straight towards the atmosphere of the earth.

Autumnal Equinox

Let's learn about the Autumn equinox and the symbolisms associated with fall while curling up on the armchair near the warm fireplace and sipping on the delectable apple cider or homemade pumpkin spice latte!

Autumn begins with the day of autumnal equinox while the onset of winter is marked by the winter solstice. Firstly, the term equinox has its roots in the Latin language from the words 'aequus' and 'nox' which translates to 'equal' and 'night' respectively. This implies that the days and nights during an equinox have almost equal lengths. While spinning on the tilted axis on earth's orbit, the planet revolves around the sun for 365 days and six hours.

However, only two times during that journey the planet is neither inclined towards nor tilt away from the sun. Around 22nd or 23rd September, the equator experiences direct sun rays which are also equally distributed in the northern as well as the southern hemispheres.

The autumn equinox is the harbinger of the autumn season in the Northern Hemisphere while it's spring in the southern half. For example, Australia and South Africa both experiences autumn in March since it is in Southern Hemisphere. After the equinox, the earth starts inclining away from the sun which marks the shortening of days and consequent long nights.

If you have astronomical inclinations then you must have heard of the harvest moon, but do you know why is it called so? During the time of the equinox, a full moon appears for several successive nights during sunset. As the traditional story reveals, the moon offered some extra working hours to the farmers by brightening up the place for a few more hours. This earned them extra time to wrap up their harvests before the frosty winters set in.

That's why the full moon that rises closest to the day of autumnal equinox is named the harvest moon. According to Greek mythology, the goddess of spring, Persephone or Proserpine rejoins her husband, Pluto or Hades in the underworld for three months with the onset of Autumn equinox.

All four seasons hold a special symbolism that can be identified with the four stages of human life. As known to all, the third season that comes right after summer is autumn. Just like spring represents birth and infancy and summer stands for youth, autumn similarly denotes the maturity of adulthood as it is the time for harvest. The end of fall marks the beginning of the harsh winter months that are often connected with old age and ultimate death.

Bird Migration

Autumn also implies that winter is knocking at the door. It's time for several bird species to engage in migration and fly off to distant warmer lands.

Most bird species exhibit tendencies of seasonal migration. Many birds can't tolerate the biting cold winter so they fly down to lands with warmer climates like Africa and Spain. This is mainly due to the scarcity of food during winter. Some migratory birds cover very long distances to secure their survival. However, migration is extremely demanding in terms of energy since a flight may extend for some hours or even days.

To support these flights, fat storage becomes extremely essential as fat acts as the main driving fuel. That's why before migrating, birds consume lots and lots of food and gain fat. Birds that engage in winter migration include nightingales, swallows, turtle doves, martins, redstarts, cuckoos, and several others.

Did you know that even butterflies migrate during autumn? The monarch butterflies of North America cover approximately 3,000 mi (4828.03 km) and fly off to southwestern Mexican forests where they spend the winters. Quite astonishing for such a tiny insect, isn't it?

Animals In Fall

Do you know how different animals behave in the fall season? Let's peek into the animal world for a deeper insight!

At the outset of autumn, animals start preparing for the approaching cold weather of winters. Animals have different forms of adaptations. While some animals develop thick, furry coats to trap body heat, others enter hibernation. In the process of hibernation, the body temperatures are reduced and the animals enter a slumber-like state that extends for months until the warmth of spring returns.

During this time, the body remains entirely inactive. Animals such as the red squirrel, hedgehog, chipmunk, groundhog, and turtle enter long spans of hibernation. During autumn, before entering hibernation, these animals forage for and stack up food that would last for the winter months.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for facts about autumn then why not take a look at characteristics of seasons, or facts about flowering plants.