Autumn Equinox
With the days getting steadily chillier here in London, autumn has crept up on HostelBloggers once again. As if to confirm the fact, this Monday (September 22nd) is the autumn equinox. And there’s nowhere more spectacular to celebrate this event than at Chichen Itza, on Mexico’s Yucatan penisula.
Among the impressive Mayan remains at this site is the Grand Pyramid, which reveals some rather astounding ancient knowledge of astronomy at each equinox. The structure is aligned so that in the middle of spring and autumn the sun’s rays are reflected in such a way as to form the shape of a diamond-backed rattlesnake along the steps.
It’s believed that the Mayans intended this remarkable event to mark essential cycles in the agricultural season, and the biannual gatherings at Chichen Itza became a significant ritual. Today, thousands of pilgrims and travelers are attracted to the site by its heady brew of mysterious celestial alignment and awe-inspiring ancient structures.
The actual moment when the sun hangs directly over the Earth’s equator will fall at 15.44. And HostelBloggers would definitely recommend that anyone lucky enough to be in this part of the world sets their watch!
