When is the official start to autumn? That depends on who you ask

What is the autumnal equinox?

The autumnal equinox, which is the halfway point between the summer and winter solstices, marks the precise moment when the sun appears directly over the Earth's equator.

ATLANTA - The question of when autumn or fall actually begins has long been a debate.

Most mark it at the autumnal equinox which is takes place 2:50 a.m. Saturday, but there are actually three different dates it begins depending on who is marking it on the calendar.

What is the autumnal equinox?

The simple answers to explain the autumnal equinox is the exact time the sun is directly over the Earth’s equator.

The means the Earth’s axis is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun.

It also marks the halfway point between the summer and winter solstices.

The exact time and date varies from year-to-year.

What is meteorological fall?

Meteorologists and climatologists actually consider Sept. 1 the beginning of autumn. It does not base the season on the Earth’s orientation with respect to the sun.

Climatological seasons are solely classified by the annual temperature cycle across the world.

When will the leaves change color in Georgia?

Summer is drawing to a close, the weather is turning mild, and the pleasant weather is inviting people to get outdoors. But when should Georgians see the burst of fall colors? Here's the latest.

This is because the astronomical seasons are based on the Earth’s position relative to the sun, while "climatological" or "meteorological" seasons are divided into three-month periods based on the temperatures that would be expected during each season.

Summer is the hottest time of year and winter, the coldest, so fall and spring, running in this instance from March 1 to May 31, are the three-month periods in between those two seasons.

What is solar autumn or Celtic fall?

This is falling a bit down a rabbit hole, but different traditions and cultures believe fall actually starts in early August and runs through the end of October or the first few days of November.

For instance, the traditional East Asian solar period starts around Aug. 8 and runs through Nov. 7.

Should another season be added to the year?

How would you like two fall seasons a year. A guy in Delaware started thenewcalendar.com to promote just that.

Gaelic traditions have autumn lasting around the same period. In its native language, the words for September and October translate to "middle of autumn" and "end of autumn" respectively.

The Roman Empire believed autumn lasted from the third day before the Ides of Sextilis, roughly translated into "the sixth month of the year" or Aug. 11 to us, to the fifth day before the Ides of November, which is Nov. 9.

When do you celebrate the start of autumn?

Regardless of when autumn starts, the fall colors are what most people associate with the season. Well, that pumpkin spice-everything, and football.

Dahlonega ready for fall

The colors have already started changing in Dahlonega and with the weather being so inviting, it will soon be host to people looking to take in a little bit of fall.

This week, the FOX 5 Storm Team spotted the leaves beginning to change color in the north Georgia town of Dahlonega.

And this weekend, many fall festivals and attractions are opening.

We hope you have a great autumn season!