On December 21, the Sun barely rises at 11:20 am, rests low on the horizon until it vanishes around 3:30 pm.Īt what time does the Sun rise? When does the Sun set? There are many interesting facts about the first and last sun rays of the day.ĭid you know that the United States Naval Observatory in Washington receives around 1,000 requests a year for the precise time of sunrise and sunset for a given location for criminal cases and lawsuits?Īnd what about the meaning of the popular saying 'red sky at night, sailors' delight'? On June 21, Reykjavik enjoys 21 hours and 45 minutes of daylight. The world's northernmost capital city has the longest hours in the summer and the shortest hours of daylight during the winter. Which capital city has the longest and shortest days? The correct answer is Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, located at a latitude of 64 degrees north. Shotoku presented himself as 'the Son of Heaven in the land where the Sun rises to the Son of Heaven in the land where the Sun sets.' The expression was coined by Prince Regent of Japan, Shotoku (574-622 AD), in a letter sent to China's Emperor Yang of Sui. On December 29, 2011, Samoa skipped a day, jumped forward in time, and switched time zones.Īnd even though the island is located east of New Zealand, the curvature of the Earth grants Kiwis the chance to witness the first sun rays of every new day.īut why is Japan known as 'the land of the rising Sun'? Unlike many people think, the Japanese are not the first to watch the Sun coming up in the morning. To be more specific, at the Equator line, the Earth rotates at around 1,037 miles per hour (1,669 kilometers per hour).Īs a result, and from an astronomical perspective, the planet's first sunrise and sunset each and every day occur in New Zealand's East Cape. In other words, it spins toward the east, making it look like the Sun is moving west. In fact, you will always see the Sun rising in the east because the Earth rotates on its axis from west to east. And that is what makes the sky look blue.īut why does the Sun rise in the east and set in the west? On the other hand, when the Sun is high in the sky, blue light is scattered more by oxygen and nitrogen molecules than all other colors because it travels as shorter, smaller waves. When the Sun is low on the horizon, small particles and water droplets in the atmosphere force sunlight to change direction.Īs a result, shorter wavelength colors like blue and violet get scattered out, leaving only the longer wavelength colors like yellow, orange, and red available to our eyes. It all happens due to a phenomenon called 'scattering.'

But what gives the Sun and sky a golden glow? We all know that the precise time of sunrise and sunrise depends on our location, but some might not know that it is also different for people aboard an airplane.ĭuring sunrise and sunset times, the first thing that strikes us is the color of the Sun's rays. The 'Golden Hour' turns daylight into a red, orange, and yellow palette - the golden tones - and makes life worth living. There is nothing more pleasing and rewarding than witnessing the Sun rise in the morning and set in the evening behind a snowy mountain or a calm sea. Where does the Sun rise and set? Why are days longer in summer and shorter in winter? Take a look at a few curious and fascinating facts about sunset and sunrise.

Dusk today