The September Equinox Kicks off a New Season, On any other day of the year, either the Southern or the Northern Hemisphere tilts a little towards the Sun. But on the equinox on September 22/23, the tilt of Earth’s axis is perpendicular to the Sun’s rays. “Equinox” is derived from Latin and means “equal night.” However, it isn’t entirely accurate. In reality, equinoxes don’t have exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours nighttime. Local Time and Date for the Equinox