Technologies

September’s Fall Equinox Is Coming: What to Know and What It Looks Like

Later this month, you could experience an equinox sunrise, which marks the arrival of fall in the Northern Hemisphere.

Labor Day has come and gone, and school is back in session. Though the leaves have yet to start turning, fall is making its way here. The official arrival of the season is the autumnal equinox, which occurs in the Northern Hemisphere in September.

After a hot summer, the fall equinox marks a welcome shift in the seasons for many folks. But what exactly is an equinox? It’s all about Earth and its relationship with the sun. Here’s how to understand, visualize and celebrate the autumnal equinox.

When is the fall equinox?

This year, the autumnal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere falls on Monday, Sept. 22. If you want to be extra specific and mark it on your calendar, mark it for 11:19 a.m. PT.

Dates can shift slightly for equinoxes depending on the year, but it’s always around this time in September. The next vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere takes place on March 20, 2026, and will mark the start of spring.

What does the September equinox look like?

Wherever you are on Earth on the day of the equinox (and whether it’s a spring or fall equinox, depending on which hemisphere you live in), the sun will rise as close to east and set as close to west as possible, making it a foolproof compass. Go outside and watch the sunset and sunrise, and make a note of the landmarks in front of the sun. That way, you’ll always know what exactly is west and east.

The two annual equinoxes also feature the fastest sunrise and sunset of the year, with the sun taking just a few seconds to appear and disappear. That’s because this is the steepest angle at which the sun rises and sets during the year.

What is the fall equinox?

The meaning of equinox is right there in the name: a combination of the Latin words for equal and night.

«There are only two times of the year when the Earth’s axis is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun, resulting in a ‘nearly’ equal amount of daylight and darkness at all latitudes,» the National Weather Service said in an explainer about the seasons.

The Earth spins on an axis (imagine a line running from pole to pole) and the planet sports a jaunty 23.5-degree tilt. The tilt is what gives us seasons. As the Earth orbits the sun, the tilt means some areas of the planet get more direct sunlight than others. That’s how it can be summer in the Northern Hemisphere (tilted toward the sun) and winter in the Southern Hemisphere (tilted away from the sun) at the same time. During the equinox, the sun shines straight at the equator and gives equal love to the two hemispheres.

Other planets that are also tilted on their axes of rotation also experience equinoxes. The time scales can be very different, however. An equinox on Saturn only comes around about every 15 Earth years. That means each season lasts for over seven years on Saturn. It’s even wilder on Neptune, which has seasons that last decades. We can be grateful for the relatively short seasons on our planet.

How is equinox different from solstice?

As with equinoxes, solstices are associated with Earth’s tilt, but instead of daylight and nighttime being even, the days and nights are at their extremes. The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, while the summer solstice is the longest. This year, the winter solstice for the Northern Hemisphere falls on Sunday, Dec. 21.

See equinoxes from space

Earth-watching satellites up in orbit have a unique view of the equinox. A NASA Earth Observatory video shows Earth from space and how the positioning of the sun’s light shifts with the changing of the seasons. It’s a great way to visualize what’s happening during our planet’s orbit around the sun.

How to celebrate the fall equinox

Equinoxes aren’t like eclipses or meteors. There isn’t a big wow moment when you see something spectacular. The fall equinox this year will look like any other day, but it’s a handy way to mark the changing of the astronomical seasons. You can go around and declare, «It’s officially the first day of autumn!» How you celebrate is up to you. Here’s a suggestion: Put on your favorite sweater, go for a scenic foliage drive and sip a pumpkin spice latte to welcome fall in style.

Technologies

We May Know What the Next Nintendo Switch 2 Pokemon Game Will Be Called

A massive leak reveals potential details about the 10th generation of Pokemon games coming to the Nintendo Switch 2, including big changes.

A new Pokemon game, Pokemon Legends: Z-A, will be released for the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 on Thursday, but a recent leak might have revealed info about what’s coming next from the creators of the franchise. The names of the next games headed to the Switch 2, as well as some of the big changes to the Pokemon formula, may have been part of the leak.

The leak showed up on X Monday from the account Centro Leaks, as first spotted by Insider Gaming. Data about the upcoming games reportedly stems from a hack of the servers of the franchise developer Game Freak that happened in August 2024, referred to online as the Teraleak, that included the source code for the upcoming Pokemon Legenda: Z-A.

Among the information shared by the account was the possible name for what would be the 10th generation of Pokemon games that would come to the Switch 2 next year: Pokemon Wind and Pokemon Wave.

The Pokemon Company didn’t immediately respond to a request for confirmation about this leak.

Pokémon Gen 10:
Pokémon Wind and Pokémon Waves
Theme: Infinity
Directed by Shigeru Ohmori

— Centro LEAKS (@CentroLeaks) October 13, 2025

According to the leak, Pokemon Wind/Wave is inspired by the Southeast Asia region and will feature a jungle-themed environment. It could also feature a new mechanic referred to as a Seed Pokemon, which is reportedly a special Pokemon that is heavily involved in the story and must be raised by the player. As it evolves, it will have a unique look that is procedurally generated, and once it’s fully evolved, it will allow the player to gain access to an island where they can find the main legendary Pokemon of the game.

The main theme of Pokemon Wind/Wave is the concept of infinity, according to the leak. This would match with the reported focus of procedurally generated content, not only with the special Seed Pokemon, but also with the islands of the game being procedurally generated, so each game is unique and could continue to grow with no end.

Also included in the leak were other details, including Pokemon on the overworld being interactable, weather affecting gameplay in some way, 18 new challenges for players instead of traditional gyms, and a few screenshots of the game in development that are still available to see at the PokeLeaks subreddit. There was also info that the 11th-generation Pokemon game could be released in 2030.

It is unlikely that Nintendo, The Pokemon Company or Game Freak will confirm the details of the leak. Expect to see the official announcement early next year, with the fall being the most likely release window for Pokemon Wind/Wave.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Oct. 15

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 15.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It includes both the first and last name of one of my favorite chefs of all time — maybe yours, too. Read on for the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Chromebooks, but not MacBooks
Answer: PCS

4A clue: «Yippee!»
Answer: WAHOO

6A clue: Reveal, as juicy gossip
Answer: SPILL

7A clue: With 2-Down, chef who helped popularize chicken cordon bleu in the U.S.
Answer: JULIA

8A clue: Toss in
Answer: ADD

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Toss in
Answer: PAPUA

2D clue: See 7-Across
Answer: CHILD

3D clue: State of matter for most elements at room temperature
Answer: SOLID

4D clue: Business-focused newspaper, for short
Answer: WSJ

5D clue: Hello, in Portuguese
Answer: OLA

Technologies

Want to Watch a Podcast? Netflix and Spotify Partner to Bring Video Podcasts to Streaming

Starting in early 2026, Netflix subscribers in the US will be able to watch select Spotify Studios and Ringer podcasts directly on the streaming platform.

Netflix and Spotify are teaming up to blur the line between streaming and podcasting. The two companies announced a new partnership that will bring a curated slate of Spotify’s top video podcasts, including shows from Spotify Studios and The Ringer, to Netflix starting in early 2026. The goal is to make popular podcasts as watchable as TV, expanding both services’ reach into sports, culture, lifestyle and true crime.

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The deal marks Spotify’s most significant distribution push beyond its own platform, and for Netflix, it’s a new way to keep audiences engaged with talk-driven, low-cost programming. Early titles include The Bill Simmons Podcast, The Rewatchables, Dissect, Conspiracy Theories and Serial Killers, among others. You can find the complete list here.

More shows and genres are expected to be added over time.

Netflix says the partnership complements its library of documentaries and talk shows, offering «fresh voices and new perspectives.» Spotify, meanwhile, described it as «a new chapter for podcasting,» giving creators access to Netflix’s global audience while expanding discovery for listeners who prefer watching podcasts.

The rollout will begin in the US early next year, with additional markets to follow in 2026.