March 19, 2026

2026’s Spring Equinox happens a bit earlier this year, tomorrow (3/20/2026) at 8:46 AM local time in Merida.

Chichen Itza is scheduled to be open for viewing of the famous snake descending on El Castillo’s stairway, (but local vendors may cause problems) … Dzibilchaltun will be closed to visitors & Oxkintok will also be closed.

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On a Personal Note:
If you’re ever curious about what direction due East is from your home, check out the Sun’s position at 8:46 local time …. because our Sun will be due East at that point.

Then, for every other day between 3/21 – 9/22, the sun rises in the Northeast and sets in the Northeast, because our 2026 Fall Equinox doesn’t happen until 6:04 PM on Sept. 22.

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Other Curiousities:
For home solar system owners, notice that your panels pointing due-South will be pointing away from the early morning sun and late afternoon sun for the next 6 months.

For this reason, the highest efficiency PV solar systems have motors & swivels to track the Sun’s path, gaining an addtional 40% of energy versus fixed position panels.

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Next:
THE 2026 day when our electrical poles, street lights & perpendicular walls cast no shadows?

After tomorrow’s Spring Solar Equinox, the next big day for Sun watchers here is March 25, 2026 … when the Sun reaches it’s highest elevation of 89.92º – directly overhead – at 12:55 24 sec PM

and yes, the shadows for some (slightly canted) poles & walls will have no shadows starting around May 19, 2026:

May 19, 2026 12:54 pm Midday sun maximum @ 88.89º Elevation

May 20, 2026 12:54 pm Midday sun maximum @ 89.12º Elevation

May 21, 2026 12:55 pm Midday sun maximum @ 89.32º Elevation

May 22, 2026 12:55 pm Midday sun maximum @ 89.52º Elevation

May 23, 2026 12:55 pm Midday sun maximum @ 89.71º Elevation

May 24, 2026 12:55 pm Midday sun maximum @ 89.9º Elevation

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=> May 25, 2026 12:55 pm Midday sun maximum @ 89.92º Elevation~
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May 26, 2026 12:56 pm Midday sun maximum @ 89.75º Elevation

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And yes, ancient Yucatec Maya people tracked that special day when the Sun is directly overhead, by recording when the bottom of a special perpendicual well was perfectly illuminated by the mid-day sun, directly overhead …

https://gml.noaa.gov/grad/solcalc/

Cheers,
Dr. Fry


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Feel free to copy while giving proper attribution: YucaLandia/Surviving Yucatan.
© Steven M. Fry

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