Earth's atmosphere scatters the sun's rays to create the colors of twilight. On worlds with no atmospheres, such as the moon, it gets instantly dark when the sun sets. Astronomers recognize three different stages of twilight: civil twilight,
(Sunset can be defined as the moment when the top of the sun's disk has passed the horizon.) As with twilight, there is civil dusk, nautical dusk, and astronomical dusk, occurring at the exact moment when the center of the sun's disk is at 6°, 12°, and 18° below the horizon, respectively.
The size and concentration of atmospheric particles in the path of incoming sunlight determine the type of sunset observed. When sunlight encounters very few particles in the atmosphere, most wavelengths of light reach the observer's eyes with almost equal intensity.
In its most general sense, twilight is the period of time before sunrise and after sunset, in which the atmosphere is partially illuminated by the sun, being neither totally dark or completely lit. However there are three categories of twilight that are defined by how far the sun is below the horizon.
In its most general sense, twilight is the period of time before sunrise and after sunset, in which the atmosphere is partially illuminated by the sun, being neither totally dark or completely lit. However there are three categories of twilight that are defined by how far the sun is below the horizon.
We often hear the terms sunset and dusk used to refer to the same thing. But what is the difference? Sunset is simply the point that the sun disappears over the horizon. Twilight is the period between sunset and dusk.
The blue hour generally lasts the 20 to 30 minutes just after sunset and just before sunrise.
"Sunset" is the opposite. It occurs the moment the disc of sun completely disappears below the western horizon. Technically, "dusk" is the period of twilight between complete darkness and sunrise (or sunset). In common usage, "dawn" refers to morning, while "dusk" refers only to the evening twilight.
Astronomers define the three stages of twilight on the basis of how far the Sun is below the horizon. The morning twilight is often called dawn, while the evening twilight is also known as dusk.
Typically, the best sunsets are seen in skies with high and mid-level clouds like altocumulus and cirrus clouds, NOAA reports. Conversely, low-lying clouds like stratus and stratocumulus clouds rarely yield noteworthy sunsets.
According to basic atmospheric science, the essence of a beautiful sunset is held in the cloud layer, specifically the clouds at the upper and lower levels. Any clouds that are too low make for cloudy skies, covering up the sight of the setting sun.
In many cultures the sunset represents the end of something, be it a long day or a person's life. That might sound a bit dark, but many individuals do associate sunsets with something major coming to an end.
There are three established and widely accepted subcategories of twilight: civil twilight (nearest the horizon), nautical twilight, and astronomical twilight (farthest from the horizon).
These categories are astronomical, nautical, and civil dawn.
Sun Angles: As autumn rolls into the winter months, the sunlight hits the Earth at a more tilted angle. Therefore, the light has to travel further along the Earth's curve, filtering out more blues and purples along the way. This deepens the brilliance of the red, orange, and yellow hues.
Sunset is the most well known of the three, it is usually in the evening when the sun approaches the horizon and the skies are red in color. Sundown is when the sun disappears together with daylight. Nightfall describes the period of time, anywhere from after the sun has gone until dusk or early morning.
In everyday language, the term dusk is commonly used as another word for evening twilight—the period from sunset until nighttime. Other colloquial synonyms include nightfall, sundown, and eventide. In some contexts, dusk is also used to denote the setting of the Sun.
Dusk occurs after sunset, once the top of the Sun has passed the horizon. As with dawn there is astronomical dusk, nautical dusk and civil dusk, occurring at 18°, 12° and 6° below the horizon respectively.
The zodiacal light (also called false dawn when seen before sunrise) is a faint, diffuse, and roughly triangular white glow that is visible in the night sky and appears to extend from the Sun's direction and along the zodiac, straddling the ecliptic, which is the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun.
Explanation: Dawn is the time of the day just before the sunrise.
Magic hour is the time just after sunset and just before sunrise, producing warm colors of gold, pink, and blue. For photography, this specific time can be ideal for matching the hues and colors of lights and buildings.
Thus, the sun and sky appear a red color during sunsets. The phenomenon by which the gas molecules selectively scatter shorter wavelengths of light is called Rayleigh scattering.
Sundogs often form in pairs on either side of the Sun. Often they appear white but sometimes they are quite colorful, looking like patches of rainbow. The colors usually go from red on the side nearest to the Sun, shifting through orange out to blue on the outside of the sundog.
The last hour before sunset and the first hour after sunrise are coveted by professional photographers. Referred to as “the golden hour” or “magic hour,” these times provide the perfect light to capture stunning photos.