Day and night will be of approximately equal length today due to the autumnal equinox, Qatar Calendar House (QCH) has said. In Qatar, the phenomenon will occur at 11.02pm, according to a statement issued by QCH director Dr Mohamed al-Ansari and noted astronomer Dr Beshir Marzouk. “On this day, the length of the day and night will be approximately equal in Qatar. The day will be 12 hours and 8 minutes long while the duration of the night will be 11 hours and 52 minutes,” Dr Marzouk explained, adding that sunrise in Doha will take place at 5.22am and sunset at 5.30pm. This year, the duration of summer was 93 days, while autumn will last for 90 days. The September equinox is the moment when the sun appears to cross the celestial equator, heading southward. This equinox is taken to mark the end of summer and the beginning of autumn (autumnal equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere, while marking the end of winter and the start of spring (vernal equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere.