During which event do the Sun's rays strike the equator directly?

The Sun's rays strike the equator directly during the spring equinox and the autumnal equinox. These two events occur twice a year, typically around March 21 and September 23, respectively.

During the equinoxes, the tilt of the Earth's axis is such that it is oriented neither toward nor away from the Sun, resulting in nearly equal daylight and nighttime hours across the globe. This means that as the Sun moves across the sky, it shines directly over the equator, leading to this phenomenon.

While the summer solstice and winter solstice involve one hemisphere receiving more sunlight and the other hemisphere less, these events do not feature direct sunlight on the equator. This is why the option for the autumnal equinox is associated with the event in which the Sun's rays strike the equator directly.