First day of Fall 2014 on Monday meant time for leaves to fall in the northeast and temperatures to cool down in the deep south. The autumnal equinox here, there and everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere resulted in nearly equal amounts of light and darkness in the sky.

It happens every year.

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Astronomers, and their fellow travelers, declared the precise moment of the fall equinox this year was around 10:29 p.m EDT. That was the time the sun shone directly on the equator heading south into the night.

It's a mirror image in the Southern Hemisphere as September's equinox marks the beginning of spring. Days will head toward warmth down under while northern climes lurch toward colder nights and shorter days.

Several unique experiences were in store for the first day of fall, the autumnal equinox.

The sun rose due east and set due west all over the world. This only happens during the equinox. Those standing along the equator noticed the Sun passing directly overhead, which, too, only happens during the equinox. Those standing at North or South Poles wouldn't see the sun rise or fall at all. It would skirt across the horizon.

The first day of fall has been the stuff of celebration and legend throughout time. Greek myths attributed the day to the goddess Persephone who came back from the underworld to hang with husband Hades. Greeks used the day to work on personal security and protection whole considering their good and bad deeds from the last year.

Christians celebrated Michaelmas, a feast day devoted to St. Michael and all angels. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Pagans celebrated Mabon, a harvest festival of sorts. Australian Aborigines were obsessed with the day, including it in many stories conveyed through the oral tradition.

In China, the Moon Festival, sometimes called the Mid-Autumn Festival, roughly coincides with the fall equinox. It's devoted to celebrating the harvest with mooncake made with dried fruit or a duck egg, sesame seeds and lotus and other activities.

Tagsfirst day of fall, autumn, fall, changing seasons, first day of fall 2014, Astronomy, moon festival, michaelmas, mabon, equinox, Stonehenge