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.

For those of us who approach things by the Goldilocks Principle (not too little, not too much), spring equinox is practically perfect. Along with the fall equinox, this is when we get that glorious balance of daytime and nighttime all over the world — from the steamy equator to the frigid poles — with just about 12 hours of each.

Spring is almost here — officially, at least. The vernal equinox arrives on Thursday, marking the start of the spring season for the Northern Hemisphere and the fall in the Southern Hemisphere. On the equator,