EPHEMER.TXT Time of Vernal Equinox 2002/03/01 Actual times of Vernal Equinox measured in Greenwich Mean Time are based on "NASA Reference Publication 1349", October 1994. Atmosphere-Ocean Model uses subroutine VERNAL to estimate the time of Vernal Equinox each year. NASA Ref. Pub. 1349 Estimated by VERNAL Year Date Time Time Since Last Equinox Year Date Time ---- ------ ---- Day H Mn Days ---- ------ ---- 1995 Mar 21 2:16 --- - -- --------- 1995 Mar 21 2:24 1996 Mar 20 8:04 365 5:48 365.24167 1996 Mar 20 8:13 1997 Mar 20 13:56 365 5:52 365.24444 1997 Mar 20 14:02 1998 Mar 20 19:55 365 5:59 365.24931 1998 Mar 20 19:52 1999 Mar 21 1:47 365 5:52 365.24444 1999 Mar 21 1:41 2000 Mar 20 7:36 365 5:49 365.24236 2000 Mar 20 7:30 2001 Mar 20 13:32 365 5:56 365.24722 2001 Mar 20 13:19 2002 Mar 20 19:17 365 5:45 365.23958 2002 Mar 20 19:08 2003 Mar 21 1:02 365 5:45 365.23958 2003 Mar 21 0:58 2004 Mar 20 6:50 365 5:48 365.24167 2004 Mar 20 6:47 2005 Mar 20 12:35 365 5:45 365.23958 2005 Mar 20 12:36 2006 Mar 20 18:27 365 5:52 365.24444 2006 Mar 20 18:25 2007 Mar 21 0:09 365 5:42 365.23750 2007 Mar 21 0:14 2008 Mar 20 5:50 365 5:41 365.23681 2008 Mar 20 6:04 2009 Mar 20 11:45 365 5:55 365.24653 2009 Mar 20 11:53 2010 Mar 20 17:33 365 5:48 365.24167 2010 Mar 20 17:42 --- - -- --------- Average: 365 5:49+ 365.24245 Explanatory Statement to Ephemeris: 365.24250 Basic Physics of the Solar System: 365.24219879 Assumed by Atmosphere-Ocean Model: 365.2425 The existence of the moon is the principal reason that the time from one Vernal Equinox to the next is not constant. Times of vernal equinox in Explanatory Statement to the Ephemeris. Estimated by VERNAL Year Date Hr Year Date Time ---- ------ -- ---- ------ ---- 1903 Mar 21 19 1903 Mar 21 18:58 2000 Mar 20 7 2000 Mar 20 7:30 2096 Mar 19 14 2096 Mar 19 14:13