What is the name of the time when the Sun's direct rays strike the equator, resulting in day and night of equal length?

The phenomenon described occurs during the equinoxes, when the Sun is positioned directly over the equator, resulting in nearly equal durations of day and night across the globe. Specifically, during the autumnal equinox, which takes place around September 22 or 23 in the Northern Hemisphere, this event marks the transition into fall.

At this time, the tilt of the Earth's axis is such that both hemispheres receive almost the same amount of sunlight, leading to the balanced 12-hour day and 12-hour night. This is distinct from the solstices, which occur at times when the Sun is at its highest or lowest point in the sky at noon, creating the longest day and night of the year, respectively. The spring equinox, occurring around March 20 or 21, also leads to equal day and night but is not the answer specified here. Thus, the autumnal equinox is the correct answer as it specifically describes the time when we traditionally recognize the onset of autumn and experience equal lengths of day and night.