Schools are back in session. The cicadas are singing. So when does fall begin?

K-12 schools are back in session, college students are heading back to campus, the Indiana State Fair is in full swing and the cicadas are singing (quite loudly) their end of summer song. So when exactly is fall?

Here's what to know.

When is the first day of fall?

According to the Farmers Almanac, the first day of fall is Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024.

When is the autumnal equinox?

The autumnal equinox is an astronomical event that marks the start of autumn, according to the Farmer's Almanac. The autumnal equinox for the northern hemisphere and the first day of fall begin on the same day, at 8:44 a.m. EST Sunday Sept. 22, 2024.

Is it autumn or fall?

Technically, it is both.

Autumn is the oldest word used to describe the season between summer and winter. However, in the 1600s, some people started abbreviating the season to "fall" in association with the phrase often used by poets "fall of the leaves," according to Merriam-Webster.

More: One month closer to fall means one step closer to Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks

When does daylight saving time end?

Daylight saving time will end at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, Nov. 3. This means the clocks will "fall back" and we will get an extra hour of sleep on this day.

On Sunday, March 9, 2025 daylight saving time will begin again.

More: Goodbye daylight saving time, hello one more hour of sleep. Fall back? When does DST end?

Katie Wiseman is a trending news reporter at IndyStar. Contact her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @itskatiewiseman.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Fall 2024: When it starts, when daylight saving time ends