Chasing the light…
I will forever be the gal chasing sunrises and sunsets. Primarily for their pure beauty, but also because there is something about them that screams “holiday”. So, whether you actually ARE on holiday or not, pausing to watch them provides a tiny moment in our otherwise rushed world to simply stop and appreciated what is, completely in the moment…
The sun rises in the East and sets in the West. Have you ever stopped to ask why? It’s because the earth rotates on its axis from west to east. In other words, it spins toward the east, making it look like the sun, the moon, the planets, and the stars all rise in the east and set in the west. The earth makes one complete turn every 24 hours. More specifically, at the Equator line, the Earth rotates at around 1,669 kilometres per hour. This results in our planet’s first sunrise and sunset each and every day occurring in New Zealand’s East Cape.
The sunrise actually occurs even before it makes it to the horizon. So, you can see the sun before it arises above the horizon. This is due to the fact that the Earth’s atmosphere refracts the sun’s rays, allowing us to see the sun early. So, you can see a sunrise when the sun’s upper limb (the top edge of the sun) crosses the horizon.
Did you know that sunlight is actually white in colour? When sunlight travels through the Earth’s atmosphere, it mixes with other gas molecules, as well as travelling through water droplets – and this makes the sun change to the yellow colour we are used to. You will notice that, in photos of the sun taken by the astronauts on the International Space Station, the sun appears white…
Depending on where you are, the timing of the sunrise and sunset varies throughout the year. The exact moment varies with the seasons. It is also important to note that the sun takes a different path across the sky at different speeds each day, which is why we have different sunset and sunrise timings every day.
“Twilight” is the time when there is light, but the sun is below the horizon. This happens both in the morning (dawn) and the evening (dusk). There are primarily three types of twilight – all defined by the angle of the sun. “Civil twilight” is when the sun is six degrees below the horizon – there is usually enough light (dawn) or not enough light (dusk) for humans to distinguish physical objects. Nautical twilight is when the sun is between six and 12 degrees below the horizon – this is when there is enough light (dawn) or not enough light (dusk) for sailors to navigate at sea. Astronomical twilight is when the sun is between 12 and 18 degrees below the horizon. Casual observers would regard the sky as fully dark, especially under urban or suburban light pollution.
Pollution actually enhances the colour of sunsets and sunrises. Whilst this may be a beautiful sight, it’s a sad indication of what we’ve done to our environment. The smoke particles in the air help scatter the beautiful colours – resulting in the splashes of oranges, pinks, reds and purples cross the sky. If, however, the pollution is too bad, the sky looks hazy, and the sunsets appear murky.
There are many sayings… “Red sky at night, sailors’ delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning.” Or “red sky at night, shepherd’s delight. Red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning”. It is believed that a red sunset indicates that the air is clear, and the weather in the west will be pleasant in the morning. However, a fiery red sunrise is a bad omen, meaning good weather conditions have already gone, and a storm may be coming to the east. I would guess that sometimes it works, and other times not. Either way, it never hurts to be prepared if you are at the mercy of the elements.
In truth, sunsets are actually nothing but an illusion. What we are seeing in the sky is simply the refraction of the sun. This is made possible as the earth’s atmosphere bends the sunlight, allowing us to see the beautiful effect. In reality though, by that time, the sun has already dipped deep into the horizon!
I’ll take that little piece of magic thanks – even if it is an illusion…
Jacqui Ikin & The Cross Country Team
