09/23/2026
🍂 Experience the autumnal equinox in Terre Haute this week!
The autumnal equinox has arrived, officially marking the start of fall. As the days get a little shorter and cooler temperatures settle in, it’s a perfect time to get outside and enjoy the changing season.
One fascinating way to experience the equinox is at Via Solaris on the Indiana State University campus.
Created by sculptor John Van Alstine, Via Solaris is more than a sculpture - it works as a solar calendar. Around the spring and fall equinoxes, the noon sun reaches a precise angle that aligns with the sculpture’s “sun tunnel.” For a brief period of a few days around solar noon - roughly at 12:40 to 12:50 p.m. - sunlight passes through a sun tunnel in the sculpture to illuminate the “Equinox Sun Spot” on the granite below.
It’s easy to find. Via Solaris sits just outside Stalker Hall, about a block from 7th Street and Chestnut, near the Dede Plaza fountain, surrounded by a wonderful collection of outdoor art across the Indiana State campus.
So grab a coffee, take a walk, explore some art and experience the autumnal equinox in Terre Haute this week. ☀️🍁
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