BY K.P. SANDER
(Photo Courtesy: ScienceMadeSimple.com)
Ah, glorious fall! That time of year when nature just bursts in amazing Technicolor and dazzles us with the beauty of the season and cooler temperatures. Okay, maybe more so east coast than here locally, but one can dream.
Technically speaking, the Autumnal Equinox will happen specifically on Tues., Sept. 23 this year. ‘Equinox’ generally refers to the point in time when day and night are of nearly equal duration. In the fall, the days thereafter grow shorter; in the spring (Vernal Equinox) the days begin to grow longer.
Wikipedia says that an equinox occurs when the plane of the Earth’s equator passes the center of the sun, and the tilt of the Earth inclines neither away nor toward the sun – let’s just say that the sun is directly overhead. The Earth is really smart; it knows what to do.
And so does nature. The trees in particular understand that the days will be shorter and they undergo a vibrant metamorphosis. But how, exactly, do leaves change color?
ScienceMadeSimple.com continues our autumnal science lesson. Trees actually store “food” during the summer months. In winter, when there is less light and water, the trees stop making food and start to rest. The chlorophyll – or what makes the leaves green – begins to disappear, fading leaves to yellow and orange. In some trees, like maples, glucose gets trapped in the leaves and the cooler nights turn foliage into reds and purples.
Whatever the science, it is nature’s masterpiece, and it is beautiful to behold. Enjoy autumn!
