Autumn begins on Tuesday. Oh, summer, why did you go by so fast! Oh well, autumn is finally here and it’s time to put those summer clothes away and bring out the warmer ones. In the meantime, here are some facts about autumn that you may not have known about!
1. The term “fall” came from the phrase “fall of the leaf.” In the 1600’s, people began moving into the cities. As the leaves fell from the trees, people started using the phrase “fall of the leaf.” Eventually it was shortened to “fall.”
2. Leaves don’t really change color. In fact the leaves are really the brilliant colors you see during the autumn. However, leaves are full of chlorophyll which is a natural chemical. The chlorophyll becomes very dominant in the summer making the leaves green and, due to the lack of sunshine in the fall, fades allowing the leaves natural colors to come through.
3. Apple cider becomes popular in the fall as the apple crop becomes ready to harvest. It takes about 36 apples to make a gallon of apple cider!
4. The summer’s longer, warmer days become shorter and colder. This is due to the Earth’s tilt in relation to the sun. When the South Pole begins to tilt towards the sun, the weather cools in the Northern Hemisphere.
There you go! Some interesting facts about the season we call “fall!”