Norooz

Today is the first day of the year in the Iranian (Persian?) calendar. We call this day the "Norooz" which means "new day". As you non-Iranians may or may not know, today is the first day of Spring. More accurately, somewhere between yesterday and today was the exact Vernal (spring) Equinox. Incidentally, Iranian calendar is the most accurate solar calendars that's in use. Of course, that's probably because it's based on year-to-year observation rather than a fixed and relatively simple set of rules. This year was the first year that I wasn't with my family at the moment of the turning of the year. I was en route back from Tehran, from a business trip that got too long.