In Greek mythology, Horae was the god of the seasons, in-charge of the natural portions of time and weather, while the Romans believed that Autumnus was the bringer of the fruit and nut harvest.Aztecs in ancient Mexico used to practice human sacrifice to honor their goddess of sustenance and fertility. Many societies practiced rituals and offerings to their gods and goddesses for a bountiful harvest that would see them through winter. In ancient times, autumn was one of the most important periods of the year as daylight began to fade while darkness lay ahead.Before the 16th century, autumn was commonly used to refer to the season of harvest. The term autumn can be traced back to the ancient Etruscan word autu, which means passing of the year.One of the main features of Autumn is the shedding of leaves from deciduous trees.įor more information and facts on Autumn, keep reading or download the BUMPER 40 PAGE comprehensive worksheet pack which can be utilised within the classroom or home environment. In North America, Autumn is also known as the fall, in which both Thanksgiving and Halloween are celebrated. Sign Me Up Already a member? Log in to download.Īutumn is one of the four seasons on Earth and is the transition from Summer into Winter. To download this worksheet, click the button below to signup for free (it only takes a minute) and you'll be brought right back to this page to start the download! The word autumn entered English from the French automne and didn't become common usage until the 18th century.This sample is exclusively for KidsKonnect members! Originally a shortening of the phrase fall of the leaf, the phrase was common in England in the 17th century. We typically think of 'fall' as the North American version of the word 'autumn', but it was in fact in widespread usage in England until relatively recently. In distress Persephone's mother, Demeter (the goddess of the harvest), caused all the crops on Earth to die until her daughter was allowed to return, marking spring. In Greek mythology, autumn began when Persephone was abducted by Hades to be the Queen of the Underworld. This last happened in 1931 and will next happen in 2303. Generally speaking, the autumn equinox always falls on either 22 or 23 September, but not quite always.īecause the Gregorian calendar is not quite in perfect symmetry with the Earth's orbit, the autumn equinox will very occasionally fall on September 24. A date for your diary - 24 September 2303 We often notice the nights begin to draw in from this point as after the autumn equinox, the nights are longer than the days, until this is reversed at the spring equinox. The word equinox comes from the Latin equi (meaning equal) and nox (meaning night) accounting for the equinox marking the time when day and night are of equal length. Their study found that 30 % of US centenarians born during 1880-1895 were born in the autumn months. ![]() People born in Autumn live longerĪ study in the Journal of Aging Research found that babies born during the autumn months are more likely to live to 100 than those born during the rest of the year. The chemicals responsible are types of flavonoids, carotenoids and anthocyanins.ĭid you know some of these chemicals are the same ones that give carrots (beta-carotenes) and egg yolks (luteins) their colours? 4. These are responsible for the vibrant ambers, reds and yellows of autumn. The chemistry of colourĬhlorophyll is the chemical which makes tree leaves green and as it declines other chemicals become more prominent in the leaves. The shorter days are a sign to trees to begin to prepare for winter.ĭuring winter there is not enough light for photosynthesis to occur, so as the days shorten throughout autumn, the trees begin to close down their food production systems and reduce the amount of chlorophyll in their leaves. One of the most stunning signs of autumn is the turning of the leaves. However, to record climate data, it is important to have set dates that can be compared, so meteorological autumn always begins on 1 September. ![]() Autumn, as defined by the Earth's orbit around the Sun, begins on the equinox which falls on 22 or 23 September. ![]() There are two different dates when autumn could be said to begin.
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