Watch Carefully For The Bull Shift

March 15, 2024

Every December 31 at midnight, thousands of Americans watching TV see a lighted ball descend from a tower high above New York City’s Times Square to mark the beginning of the new year. On the first day of spring in Iran, it is the movement of an egg on a mirror that tells the watchers the new year has begun. According to a time-honored Persian legend, the earth’s axis turns on one horn of a giant bull.

Once a year, on the spring equinox, the bull tosses its burden from one horn to the other so deftly that the shift can be observed only by watching the delicate movements of a highly sensitive egg on a polished, slippery surface. Members of the family gather around to watch Now Ruz begin; everyone knows at exactly what moment spring begins. If the egg does not oblige its audience by moving at the proper time, an adult may tap a finger on the underside of the table to induce it so the children will not be disappointed. In 2024, the egg will move at 11:06 p.m. Eastern Time, Tuesday, March 19.

That will be one hour earlier for Central Time, two hours earlier for Mountain Time and three hours earlier or 8:06 p.m. in the Pacific Time zone. The time in Tehran will be 6:36 a.m., Wednesday, March 20.