São José, Water in the Northeast, and Science

Cassiano Arruda Camara

On March 19, the day of Saint Joseph, the saint who is the patron saint of the state of Ceará and also of municipalities in several states throughout the Northeast, was celebrated yesterday, with prayers, masses and processions (eg Angicos /RN).

Saint Joseph, according to the Bible, husband of Mary, “foster father of Jesus Christ” and a carpenter, is a very famous saint in the Catholic Church. He is considered the protector of families, workers and the church. It is still known among the people of the Northeast as a harbinger of a good winter.

Saint Joseph's Day is filled with a feeling of hope for the country man, because according to popular belief, if it rains on that day, it is a sign that the year will be full of rain, ensuring a good harvest.

It is also worth noting that this belief is fueled by “rain prophets,” even in a year like this when seven medium-sized dams in Rio Grande do Norte were already overflowing and a large area had already been planted.
This association has deep historical and cultural origins in the region. The month of March has special significance, as many communities celebrate the feast of Saint Joseph, on March 19. Rainfall is often seen as a gift or blessing from a saint, especially when it comes close to his feast day.

Saint and moderation

In addition to popular belief, there is another justification for this history. It is caused by the tilt of the Earth's axis and translational motion.

During this phenomenon, the northern and southern hemispheres receive the same amount of solar radiation.

Days and nights are equal in length at the equinox. It happens twice a year: once in March and once in September. The equinox marks the astronomical beginning of two seasons of the year: spring and fall.

The March 20 equinox, today (or 21st), marks the astronomical beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. The equinox on September 23 (or 22) marks the astronomical beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and fall in the Northern Hemisphere. Spring in the Southern Hemisphere.

• What the heck is moderation?
  The equinox is an astronomical phenomenon that occurs when solar rays fall perpendicular to the Earth's equator, providing the same amount of solar illumination in the two hemispheres of the Earth that are demarcated by the equator: the north and the south. The equinox is instantaneous, that is, it has a short period of time, and only occurs in… Two days a year. The word equinox is derived from the Latin word equinox, meaning “equal nights.”

Equinox features

The equinox is an astronomical moment directly related to the elliptical orbit that planet Earth makes around the sun. Twice a year, the inclination of the sun's rays relative to the plane of the Earth's equator is zero, causing them to fall perpendicular to the Earth. 0° parallel, which is the equator. At this time, both the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere receive the same amount of energy from the Sun.

During the equinoxes, the length of day and night is practically equal in both hemispheres. In fact, we can say that the periods have the same duration.

According to the United States National Weather Service, during the periods before and after the equinox, the daylight period is as follows:

At the equator (0° latitude): 12 hours 6 minutes 3 seconds; At latitude 30 degrees north and south: 12 hours and 8 minutes; At 60 degrees north and south latitude: 12 hours and 16 minutes.

This difference is due to several factors, the main factor being the refraction of sunlight resulting from the gases that make up the Earth's atmosphere.

The phenomenon of the vernal equinox does not last more than one day, taking into account that the planet Earth continues to move around the sun, and from the moment this displacement occurs, one hemisphere of the Earth begins to receive more solar radiation than the other, and the days tend to become longer or shorter. Depending on the location.

The voice of science
The Federal University of RN joined this trend. Yesterday, an event to commemorate this date began on the campus of Caico University, in the semi-arid region of Rio Grande do Norte: “Water unites us, climate moves us. Let’s take care of Ceredo waters! on March 19.”

The purpose of the event promoters is to bring together representatives from all public institutions, especially farmers, fishermen, students, teachers and employees of the UFRN. According to Professor José Yuri Gomez, Coordinator of Promotion, Scientific and Cultural Activities, a round table and a moment of celebration will be held. “The dialogue table will discuss the current situation of water in Ceredo, with regard to distribution, demand, ongoing works and supply to cities and rural communities. The need for environmental conservation and the challenges that lie ahead with climate change.
Ultimately, the goal is to create an opportunity for dialogue between academia and the public, between governmental measures and the expectations of a naive population loyal to their traditions.

In Time: In the indigenous language, “ceredo” means dry land. Water is therefore its greatest wealth.

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