Sunrise

Sunrise
For other uses, see Sunrise (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with dawn.
Sunrise or sun up is the instant at which the upper edge of the Sun
appears over the eastern horizon in the morning.[1] The term can also
refer to the entire process of the Sun crossing the horizon and its
accompanying atmospheric effects.[2]

Terminology
"Rise"
Although the Sun appears to "rise" from the horizon, it is actually the
Earth's motion that causes the Sun to appear. The illusion of a moving
Sun results from Earth observers being in a rotating reference frame;
this apparent motion is so convincing that most cultures had
mythologies and religions built around the geocentric model, which
prevailed until astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus first formulated the
heliocentric model in the 16th century.[3]

Just after sunrise over the Cua Lo, Vietnam

Architect Buckminster Fuller proposed the terms "sunsight" and

"sunclipse" to better represent the heliocentric model, though the terms
have not entered into common language.
video of sunrise

Beginning and end

Astronomically, sunrise occurs for only an instant: the moment at which the upper limb of the Sun appears tangent to
the horizon. However, the term sunrise commonly refers to periods of time both before and after this point:
Twilight, the period in the morning during which the sky is light but the Sun is not yet visible. The beginning of
morning twilight is called dawn.
The period after the Sun rises during which striking colors and atmospheric effects are still seen.

Sunrise

Measurement
Angle
Sunrise occurs before the Sun actually
reaches the horizon because the Sun's
image is refracted by the Earth's
atmosphere. The average amount of
refraction is 34 arcminutes, though this
amount varies based on atmospheric
conditions.
Also, unlike most other solar
measurements, sunrise occurs when the
A diagram of the Sun at sunrise, showing the effects of atmospheric refraction.
Sun's upper limb, rather than its center,
appears to cross the horizon. The
apparent radius of the Sun at the horizon is 16 arcminutes.
These two angles combine to define sunrise to occur when the Sun's center is 50 arcminutes below the horizon, or
90.83 from the zenith.

Time of day
The timing of sunrise varies throughout the year and is also affected by the viewer's longitude and latitude, altitude,
and time zone. These changes are driven by the axial tilt of Earth, daily rotation of the Earth, the planet's movement
in its annual elliptical orbit around the Sun, and the Earth and Moon's paired revolutions around each other. The
analemma can be used to make approximate predictions of the time of sunrise.
In late winter and spring, sunrise as
seen from temperate latitudes occurs
earlier each day, reaching its earliest
time near the summer solstice;
although the exact date varies by
latitude. After this point, the time of
sunrise gets later each day, reaching its
latest sometime around the winter
solstice. The offset between the dates
of the solstice and the earliest or latest
sunrise time is caused by the
eccentricity of Earth's orbit and the tilt
of its axis, and is described by the
analemma, which can be used to
predict the dates.
Time of sunrise in 2008 for Libreville, Gabon. Near the equator, the variation of the time
of sunrise is mainly governed by the variation of the equation of time. See here for the
sunrise chart of a different location.

Variations in atmospheric refraction

can alter the time of sunrise by
changing its apparent position. Near
the poles, the time-of-day variation is exaggerated, since the Sun crosses the horizon at a very shallow angle and thus
rises more slowly.

Sunrise

Accounting for atmospheric refraction and measuring from the leading edge slightly increases the average duration
of day relative to night. The sunrise equation, however, which is used to derive the time of sunrise and sunset, uses
the Sun's physical center for calculation, neglecting atmospheric refraction and the non-zero angle subtended by the
solar disc.

Location on the horizon

Neglecting the effects of refraction and the Sun's non-zero size, whenever and wherever sunrise occurs, it is always
in the northeast quadrant from the March equinox to the September equinox and in the southeast quadrant from the
September equinox to the March equinox. Sunrises occur due east on the March and September equinoxes for all
viewers on Earth. Exact calculations of the azimuths of sunrise on other dates are complex, but they can be estimated
with reasonable accuracy by using the analemma.

Appearance

Sunrise over Placida Harbor, Florida

Colors
See also: Atmospheric optics
Air molecules and airborne particles scatter white sunlight as it passes
through the Earth's atmosphere. This is done by a combination of
Rayleigh scattering and Mie scattering.
As a ray of white sunlight travels through the atmosphere to an
observer, some of the colors are scattered out of the beam by air
molecules and airborne particles, changing the final color of the beam
the viewer sees. Because the shorter wavelength components, such as
Colors 10 minutes before sunrise. Rocher Perc
blue and green, scatter more strongly, these colors are preferentially
(Pierced Rock), Quebec, Canada.
removed from the beam. At sunrise and sunset, when the path through
the atmosphere is longer, the blue and green components are removed almost completely leaving the longer
wavelength orange and red hues we see at those times. The remaining reddened sunlight can then be scattered by
cloud droplets and other relatively large particles to light up the horizon red and orange. The removal of the shorter
wavelengths of light is due to Rayleigh scattering by air molecules and particles much smaller than the wavelength
of visible light (less than 50nm in diameter).[4] The scattering by cloud droplets and other particles with diameters
comparable to or larger than the sunlight's wavelengths (> 600nm) is due to Mie scattering and is not strongly
wavelength-dependent. Mie scattering is responsible for the light scattered by clouds, and also for the daytime halo
of white light around the Sun (forward scattering of white light). Without Mie scattering at sunset and sunrise, the
sky along the horizon has only a dull-reddish appearance, while the rest of the sky remains mostly blue and
sometimes green.

Sunrise

Sunset colors are typically more brilliant than sunrise colors, because the evening air contains more particles than
morning air.
Ash from volcanic eruptions, trapped within the troposphere, tends to mute sunset and sunrise colors, while volcanic
ejecta that is instead lofted into the stratosphere (as thin clouds of tiny sulfuric acid droplets), can yield beautiful
post-sunset colors called afterglows and pre-sunrise glows. A number of eruptions, including those of Mount
Pinatubo in 1991 and Krakatoa in 1883, have produced sufficiently high stratospheric sulfuric acid clouds to yield
remarkable sunset afterglows (and pre-sunrise glows) around the world. The high altitude clouds serve to reflect
strongly reddened sunlight still striking the stratosphere after sunset, down to the surface.

Optical illusions and other phenomena

Atmospheric refraction causes the Sun to be seen while it is still
below the horizon.
The Sun appears larger at sunrise than it does while higher in the
sky, in a manner similar to the moon illusion.
The Sun appears to rise above the horizon and circle the Earth, but it
is actually the Earth that is rotating, with the Sun remaining fixed.
This effect results from the fact that an observer on Earth is in a
rotating reference frame.
Occasionally a false sunrise occurs, demonstrating a very particular
kind of Parhelion belonging to the optical phenomenon family of
halos.

This is a False Sunrise, a very particular kind of

Parhelion

Sometimes just before sunrise or after sunset a green flash can be seen. This is an optical phenomenon in which a
green spot is visible above the sun, usually for no more than a second or two.

References
[1] U.S. Navy: Rise, Set, and Twilight Definitions (http:/ / aa. usno. navy. mil/ faq/ docs/ RST_defs. php)
[2] Sunrise - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary (http:/ / www. merriam-webster. com/ dictionary/ sunrise)
[3] The Earth Is the Center of the Universe: Top 10 Science Mistakes (http:/ / science. discovery. com/ top-ten/ 2009/ science-mistakes/
science-mistakes-02. html)
[4] Craig Bohren (ed.), Selected Papers on Scattering in the Atmosphere, SPIE Optical Engineering Press, Bellingham, WA, 1989

External links
Sun or Moon Rise/Set Table for one Year (http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneYear.php)
Full physical explanation of sky color, in simple terms (http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/General/
BlueSky/blue_sky.html)
An Excel workbook (http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/models/twilight.zip) with VBA functions for
sunrise, sunset, solar noon, twilight (dawn and dusk), and solar position (azimuth and elevation)
Daily almanac including Sun rise/set/twillight for every location on Earth (http://astroclub.tau.ac.il/ephem/
Daily/)
Monthly calendar with Sun/Moon rise/set times for every location on Earth (http://wise-obs.tau.ac.il/~eran/
Wise/wise_calen.html)
Geolocation service to calculate the time of sunrise and sunset (http://sunsetsunrisetime.com/)

Article Sources and Contributors

Article Sources and Contributors

Sunrise Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=614385618 Contributors: .mau., 334a, A. B., Acalamari, Ackatsis, Adabest, Adamd1008, Adityamadhav83, Adrian J. Hunter, Afirex,
Ajcounter, Aka042, Alibearoly, Alpsdake, Altenmann, Alvesgaspar, AndrewHowse, Animum, Anwar saadat, Aquilosion, Arjun01, Ashley Y, Azamishaque, BD2412, BJB, Badly Bradley,
Balsa10, Basharh, BeefRendang, Beland, BertramIT, Bobblewik, Bobo192, Bodybagger, Bogdangiusca, Brad Bishop, Brambleclawx, Brianhe, CALR, CamperStrike, Catgut, Chamalani,
Chmouel, Chzz, Ckatz, Clommlon Fiepss, Closedmouth, Cmglee, Confuzion, Consorveyapaaj2048394, DOwenWilliams, Daniel Olsen, David Biddulph, David R. Ingham, Denelson83, DerBorg,
Diannaa, Dkreisst, Donner60, Dr. Steven Fry, Drmies, Drphilharmonic, Dschwen, Dtgriscom, ENIAC, Ebuz, Edal, Emu ennui, Etacar11, Falcon8765, Fallenangei, Farras Octara, Fastily, Fir0002,
FlightUtilities, Fooflington, Fred7447, From-cary, Gaius Cornelius, Geographer, GianniG46, Glane23, Glass window, GoingBatty, GoneAwayNowAndRetired, Grafen, GregCovey, Grim23,
Gulliveig, Haham hanuka, Handyhuy, Harry's fleet, Hellocsrini, Hephaestos, Heron, HisSpaceResearch, Holycharly, Honeydew, Hrrslmpk, Hu12, Ian Pitchford, IanOfNorwich, Ianblair23,
Imperium Europeum, In Defense of the Artist, Infolepsy, Invertzoo, Iracaz, Iridescent, Irishguy, Ironholds, Isidore, Itsmine, J 1982, J.delanoy, JASpencer, Jahjahrah, James K, JeffreySV, Jeffz1,
Jennavecia, Jguard18, Jhajhajha, Jnubbca, John from Idegon, JohnOwens, Jpogi, Jubair1985, Jwanders, Jxan3000, K.Nevelsteen, Karibeine, Karol Langner, Kbrose, Keyesc, Knownowt, Looxix,
Lovleet, Lucianilica, Lucyin, MK8, Marco Guzman, Jr, Marek69, Mark, Markaci, Marklar2007, Martarius, Martin451, MartinHarper, Martyjmch, Mathew5000, Mathwhiz 29, MaxFrear, Maya,
Mbell, Mbellaccini, Mbz1, Menchi, MetroStar, Michael Hardy, Mild Bill Hiccup, Modular, Moise Nicu, Montrealais, Moonspirit80, Moriori, Moshe Constantine Hassan Al-Silverburg, Mr Taz,
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^demon, 193 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

Image:Sun rise at CuaLo.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Sun_rise_at_CuaLo.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors:
User:Handyhuy
File:PMC Sunrise Project.ogv Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:PMC_Sunrise_Project.ogv License: Public Domain Contributors: Jgmikulay, Moonspirit80
Image:Sunrise-Sunset angle.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Sunrise-Sunset_angle.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors:
TWCarlson
File:Sunrise - Libreville, Gabon - 2008.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Sunrise_-_Libreville,_Gabon_-_2008.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share
Alike Contributors: Poulpy
Image:Little Gasparilla sunrise.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Little_Gasparilla_sunrise.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors:
User:Mmacbeth
Image:Before-sunrise-perse-rock.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Before-sunrise-perse-rock.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Contributors:
User:Sam311
Image:False Sunrise.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:False_Sunrise.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Florenus

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