Google celebrates 'first day of autumn 2014' with incredible doodle

Google celebrates "autumn equinox," first day of autumn 2014, with its incredible animated doodle on the home page.

The animation illustrates a black and white cartoon figure hopping around past five grey trees and then transforming the leaves into rich autumnal colours, the Independent reported.

With the character's final leap, the leaves fall from the trees, revealing the word "Google" in gnarled branches. A large red leaf then floats down and lands on the smiling character's head.

In 2014, the autumn equinox falls in the northern hemisphere on 23 September, the date where day and night are of equal lengths.

Meanwhile in the southern hemisphere, the September equinox marks the beginning of spring.