Which of the following statements in the context of northern hemisphere is/are correct ?
- 1. Vernal equinox occurs on March 21.
- 2. Summer solstice occurs on December 22.
- 3. Autumnal equinox occurs on September 23.
- 4. Winter solstice occurs on June 21.
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
1 only
1 and 3 only
2 and 4 only
1, 2 and 3 only
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2016
1. Vernal equinox occurs around March 20 or 21. This is when the sun is directly over the equator, resulting in approximately equal day and night length everywhere on Earth. In the Northern Hemisphere, this marks the start of spring. This statement is correct.
2. Summer solstice occurs around June 20 or 21. This is when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N), resulting in the longest day and shortest night in the Northern Hemisphere. Statement 2 says it occurs on December 22, which is the date for the *Winter* Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. This statement is incorrect.
3. Autumnal equinox occurs around September 22 or 23. Like the vernal equinox, the sun is directly over the equator, resulting in approximately equal day and night length. In the Northern Hemisphere, this marks the start of autumn. This statement is correct.
4. Winter solstice occurs around December 21 or 22. This is when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° S), resulting in the shortest day and longest night in the Northern Hemisphere. Statement 4 says it occurs on June 21, which is the date for the *Summer* Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. This statement is incorrect.
Therefore, only statements 1 and 3 are correct.