Welcome to fall, folks.
Today is the first day of everyone's favorite season.
September 22 is the autumnal equinox, the official date fall arrives in the U.S. this year, and you can almost smell the change in the air.
It's a day that brings with it the promise of pumpkin pies and crackling leaves, football games and cozy sweaters and that long-awaited upcoming stretch of festivities, from Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas and New Year.
(MORE: Cool weather arrives in Midwest, Northeast for official start of fall)And there's another reason it's special -- it's the day sunlight and darkness are in absolute harmony.
The autumnal equinox is that perfect day of balance between night and day -- 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night. From now on, because of Earth's rotation around its tilted axis, for those in the Northern hemisphere, the nights will start being longer than the days.
(MORE: Pumpkin spice season is here! The ultimate list of popular products for PSL lovers)There's only one other day like it -- the day when winter ends and summer begins above the equator, called vernal equinox.
Next year, it's on March 20.
But today you don't need to worry about that. Today is a delight for anyone with a love for symmetry and who's ready to embrace the season of change.