Where the sun rises? This question interests many people who want to know how the heavenly body moves.

In this article we will try to explain as simply as possible where the sun rises and sets, and also to understand what role it plays in the life of our planet.

Where does the sun come from?

Why do people track the movement of the sun?

Even in ancient times, by observing the movement of the sun and moon, people could carry out a time count. Thanks to this, peoples developed solar or lunar calendars that helped them keep track of the passage of time.

Here are just a few factors that are affected by the movement of the sun:

  • sunrise and sunset allows you to determine the length of the day;
  • The biological clocks and rhythms of many living creatures on Earth are oriented towards the luminary;
  • it plays an important role in astronomical calculations;
  • By observing where the sun rises and how it behaves throughout the day, ancient people were able to create stone sundials;
  • the calculation of days and months is also based on the position of the sun. A day is measured from one sunrise to the next, and a year is calculated by a complete revolution around the star.

Consequently, observing the position of the Earth relative to the Sun does not lose its significance today. In addition, scientists regularly monitor the Sun's performance, measuring its activity, the presence of magnetic storms, etc.

Benefits of the Sun for humans

Did you know that the Sun has a huge impact on the physical condition of people? Experts have been able to prove that when exposed to sunlight, a person experiences the following changes in his body:

  • blood pressure decreases;
  • the risk of thrombosis is reduced;
  • rejuvenation occurs;
  • metabolism improves;
  • the risk of stroke and heart attack is reduced;
  • blood circulation improves.

In addition, when the sun rises, a person is recommended to take sunbathing. Thanks to this, our body produces vital vitamin D, which strengthens bone tissue and removes heavy metals from the body.

  • The sun promotes the production of serotonin, which is necessary for blood clotting. This hormone is also called the “happy hormone” because it promotes a good mood.
  • Under the sun, biologically inert NO3 nitrite is released, which lowers blood pressure and inhibits the development of heart failure.
  • Interestingly, sunlight has an antibacterial effect, causing any cuts to heal much faster. In addition, being under the sun can quickly get rid of pimples and acne.

The sun can be harmful

Now we should consider the other side of the Sun medal. It would be wrong to think that long exposure to its rays will have a beneficial effect on the body.

Here are just a few factors that can lead to negative consequences after prolonged exposure to the sun:

  • Tanning is the body's defense mechanism against the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays. If you do not protect your skin at the first redness, you can get a slight burn. In rare cases, this can lead to skin cancer.
  • You should not look at the sun without sunglasses, otherwise you may damage the retina of your eye, which will lead to loss of vision in the future.
  • People with dry skin are not recommended to stay in the sun for a long time without moisturizing cream.
  • As soon as the sun has risen, you must use a hat. Otherwise, you may get sunstroke. Its signs are fever, rapid pulse and nausea. There have been many cases of people losing consciousness and even dying from heatstroke.

From all that has been said, it follows that when staying under the sun for a long time, you need to wear a hat, drink more water and use glasses. Remember that the sun is especially dangerous when it is at its zenith.

Like sunset and sunrise occur every day at different times and only due to rotation around the Sun. In another case, the celestial body would be at a constant zenith, which would deprive the Earth of not only sunrises and sunsets, but life on the planet itself would be impossible.

Sunset and Sunrise

Sunset and sunrise are the periods of time when the upper edge of the Sun is at the same level as the horizon. The trajectory of the celestial body differs depending on what point on the planet and at what time of year it is observed. At the equator, the Sun rises perpendicular to the horizon and sets also perpendicular, regardless of the season.

Where does the sun rise?

Most people know that the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. However, this is nothing more than a generalization. In fact, this happens only 2 days a year - during spring and on other days the Sun rises from north to south. Every day, the points at which sunset and sunrise occur move slightly. During the day it rises at its maximum to the northeast. Every day after that the luminary rises a little further south. On the day of the autumn equinox, the Sun rises due in the east and sets in the west.

Since ancient times, people have tracked the height and parameters of sunrise and sunset points in great detail. Thus, in ancient times it was possible to navigate in time using jagged mountain peaks along the horizon or using standing stones lined up in a special way.

End and beginning of daylight hours

Sunset and Sunrise are points of beginning and end. It is important to note that both of these phenomena are just short moments. Twilight is the time range during which day becomes night or vice versa. Morning twilight is the time between dawn and sunrise, and evening twilight is the time between sunset and sunset. The duration of twilight actually depends on the location on the planet, as well as the specific date.

For example, in Arctic and Antarctic latitudes it is never completely dark on a winter night. Sunrise is the moment when the upper edge of the Sun becomes visible above the eastern horizon in the morning. Sunset is the moment when the trailing edge of the Sun ceases to be visible and disappears below the western horizon in the evening.

Length of daylight

And along with it, the time of sunset and sunrise is not a constant value. In the northern hemisphere, the days are longer in the summer and the days become shorter in the winter. The length of daylight hours also decreases or increases depending on the latitude; the higher it is, the shorter the days. As a rule, this is winter time. An interesting fact is that due to the decrease in speed, the rotations become slightly longer over time. About 100 years ago, the average day was 1.7 milliseconds shorter than it is now.

Sunrise - sunset. What is the external difference?

Sunrises and sunsets look different. Is it possible to visually establish these differences by looking at how the sun rises above the horizon, without knowing whether the day is ending or just beginning? So, is there an objective way to differentiate these two similar phenomena? All twilight time intervals are symmetrical. This means that there is not much optical difference between them.

However, two human factors deny their identity. Closer to sunset, eyes, adapted to daylight, begin to get tired. Gradually the light disappears, the sky darkens, and man cannot adapt as quickly as all this happens. Some shades cannot be fully perceived. At dawn, a completely different situation is observed.

The darkness of the night adapts the vision to very sharp and clear vision, and every subtle change in color in the sky is immediately noticeable. Thus, more colors are perceived at dawn than at dusk. It is this time that, due to limited visibility, is the most dangerous for drivers, which is why there is a need for artificial lighting. When it gets dark, be sure to turn on your headlights.

Sunrise and sunset are natural processes that occur regularly in our Universe. True, to be precise, the Sun does not rise and set, but remains motionless. Contrary to the popular belief of our ancient ancestors, this celestial body does not revolve around our planet, but the Earth, along with seven other planets, revolves around the Sun, simultaneously rotating around its axis, in the direction from west to east.

Knowing which side the Sun rises from can be useful to a tourist as a way to navigate the area and even serve as a replacement for a compass. In addition, there are people who like to admire the sunset. From the article, readers can find out where the Sun sets and rises.

General information

If you ask people: “Which side does the Sun rise from?”, then the majority will answer this “stupid” question in their opinion: “The Sun rises in the east.” In fact, this statement is incorrect. Just like the standard answer to the question: “Where does the Sun set?” Both answers are incorrect. More precisely, they are correct, but only for two days a year. These are September 23 and March 21, the so-called days of the autumn and spring equinox. As you can easily guess from their name, on these days the days are divided equally - 12 hours of the day and 12 hours of the night. That is why the Sun rises clearly in the east and sets clearly in the west.

At other times, the Sun moves across the sky in a completely different way, making either a shorter trajectory (then the night is longer than the day) or a longer one (then the day is longer than the night).

It is also necessary to name 2 more significant dates - December 22 and June 21. These are the days of the winter and summer solstice, respectively. Based on the name, it is not difficult to guess that on these days the sun stays in the sky for the longest time. Only on the day of the winter solstice is this valid in relation to the Southern Hemisphere, and in the case of the summer solstice it applies to the Northern Hemisphere. But why?

Types of hemispheres and differences between them

There are 4 types of hemispheres - Southern and Northern, Western and Eastern. Briefly describing Western and Eastern, it should be noted that they differ in time zones. That is, when it is day in the Western Hemisphere, it is night in the Eastern Hemisphere and vice versa. This happens because the Earth rotates around its axis. At different times of the day, the Earth “exposes” different parts of itself to the Sun.

But we are interested in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. They differ according to the seasons. That is, if it is winter in the North, then it is summer in the South and vice versa. Spring and autumn, respectively, are also swapped. This occurs due to the rotation of the Earth around the Sun and its uneven illumination.

Where does the Sun set and where does it rise?

If we consider the Northern Hemisphere, then in the summer the Sun rises between north and east, and sets between north and west. In winter it rises between the south and the east, and sets between the west and south. In autumn and spring, the Sun rises between the northeast and southeast, and sets between the northwest and southwest. On the days of the autumn and spring equinox, as already noted, it rises and sets strictly in the east and west, respectively.

In the Southern Hemisphere the opposite is true. This explains the difference between the seasons.

It is necessary to mention that the contrast between night and day is higher the further north the area in question is located in the Northern Hemisphere, and the further south it is in the Southern Hemisphere. That is, if you formulate a certain rule, it will sound like this: the closer the territory is to the pole, the stronger the difference between night and day will appear. And accordingly, the closer the territory is to the equator, the less the difference between day and night appears.

If we look at a specific example, then at the poles the nights last for several months, just like the days. And at the equator there is practically no difference between night and day. Because of this, there is never winter and summer at the equator; there is always the same illumination.

Conclusion

Knowing where the Sun sets and where it rises can be useful not only for self-development, but also in practice. For example, when going on a hike, you can always determine the direction of the world by the position of the Sun, which naturally will greatly help you in the matter of orientation on the ground.

And does it rise in the east? Since childhood, we have become accustomed to the fact that in the morning the Sun rises in the east and in the evening sets in the west. But is this really so?

It turns out not really. Indeed, sunrise usually occurs in the eastern sky, and sunset in the western sky, but the exact position of the sunrise and sunset points varies throughout the year and depends on the time of year and the latitude of the place.

You probably know that rooms with windows facing south are usually very sunny. Why? Because the Sun rises highest above the horizon (culminates, in more scientific terms), ending up above the southern part of the horizon. That is, on any day, if the Sun appears above the horizon, it will definitely pass over the south point, and at that moment it will culminate. (Hereinafter we will only talk about latitudes north of 23.5 degrees; in the tropics everything is a little more complicated). You have also, of course, noticed that the length of daylight hours varies greatly throughout the year: in winter the days are shorter and longer in summer; above the Arctic Circle in winter the Sun does not appear over the horizon for some time, and in summer it does not set for several days , or even weeks. Does the Sun really move slower across the sky in summer than in winter? Of course not!

The Sun rises exactly at the eastern point twice a year, on the days of the spring and autumn equinoxes, on the same days it sets exactly in the west, and the length of the day is exactly half a day - twelve hours. After the spring equinox, the day begins to lengthen, and the sunrise and sunset points shift to the north. (Remember that the Sun must culminate above the point of the south. If it rises in the northern part of the sky, then it is clear that it will take longer than on the days of the equinoxes to reach the point of the south - this explains the increase in the length of the day.) So continues until the summer solstice - the Sun rises in the northeast and sets in the northwest, the sunrise and sunset points gradually move closer, and in the polar latitudes at some point they merge into one, at the north point. After this, the Sun stops setting below the horizon - polar day begins. On the day of the summer solstice in temperate latitudes, the points of sunrise and sunset are closest to the point of north, and the length of the day is greatest.

After the summer solstice, the sunrise and sunset points move back to the east and west points, and the length of the day gradually decreases. After the autumnal equinox (on this day the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west), the sunrise and sunset points again begin to approach each other, but in the southern part of the horizon, and the length of the day decreases. At those latitudes where there was a polar day for some time in the summer, a polar night will begin - for about the same amount of time as the Sun did not set in the summer, it will not appear above the horizon. This will happen when the sunrise and sunset points merge into one at the south point. After the winter solstice, the day begins to lengthen, the points of sunrise and sunset gradually move back to the points of east and west, and everything repeats again.

What is happening in the southern hemisphere? In the southern hemisphere, everything is the other way around: when our day length is greatest, it is shortest there; when we have the spring equinox, in the southern hemisphere it is the autumn equinox. In the southern hemisphere, the Sun culminates above the north point, but rises and sets as it does here - in the eastern and western parts of the sky, respectively.

So if they tell you that the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west, you can safely answer that this is not true.

Alexandra Grudskaya

Each of us has repeatedly observed the majestic picture, how the sun rises and sets. In the city it is not possible to observe this phenomenon in all its beauty, since here the horizon is obscured by houses and other large structures. City dwellers see the Sun only when it is high above the horizon. Good to watch sunrise in a village, or even better in a field or on the open sea. In the morning, dawn gradually dawns in the eastern part of the horizon, the sky takes on a fiery purple color, and at the same time a gradual brightening begins. Then, first, the small upper edge of the Sun's disk slowly appears from behind the horizon. This edge gradually increases until, finally, the entire shining disk of the sun appears above the horizon in all its grandeur. At the same time, it seems as if a huge ball of fiery crimson color lies on the very surface of the Earth. This impression dissipates only when the Sun gradually rises above the horizon. It seems to us that it is gradually moving across the sky. Moving all the time from left to right, the Sun first rises higher, its color becomes more and more light yellow, and its size decreases.

Having reached its highest point, the Sun, moving in the same direction, begins to gradually decline and, finally, completely disappears behind the horizon. But before this, again, just like in the morning, near the horizon the Sun becomes fiery purple and again seems to increase in size.
At this time, a beautiful sight is presented to our eyes. The evening is dawning. Sky in the direction sunset covered with a thick crimson. One gets the impression that this is the glow of a large fire raging somewhere far away. Particularly beautiful colors can be observed at this time at sea; not only water, but also all surrounding objects and people acquire a special color, a special glow.

Air envelope

Why does the sky become so colored at sunrise and sunset? Our Earth, as we know, is surrounded by air envelope – atmosphere, which extends “up” to thousands of kilometers. The air shell has the greatest density at the surface of the Earth, and the “higher” it is, the more and more rarefied it becomes. Thus, we live at the bottom of a deep and vast ocean of air, in which colossal storms often occur, accompanied by electrical discharges, various currents of air masses and precipitation in the form of rain, snow and hail are observed; sometimes (after rain) a beautiful spectacle of a rainbow appears before our eyes; Often small solid bodies burst into our earthly atmosphere, and then against the background of the night sky we observe the phenomenon of a meteor. Thanks to the presence of air, the sky appears bluish to us during the day. In the old days, this blue air curtain was mistaken for some kind of solid, “crystal” firmament, which, in the form of a cap, seemed to cover the flat earth’s surface (more details:). In the morning and evening, when the Moon or Sun appears from behind the horizon or when they disappear behind the horizon, they appear to us reddish, purple. The Sun and Moon take on this color in the morning and evening because at this time we observe them through thicker layers of air than at the time when these celestial bodies are high above the horizon. It is known that The thicker the layer of atmosphere, the more rays are retained in it. The earth's atmosphere retains blue and green rays especially easily, and least of all red, orange and yellow. Due to this circumstance, the Sun, Moon and areas of the sky close to them in the mornings and evenings (when the Moon and Sun are low on the horizon) seem to us to be of some kind of crimson, orange or yellow-red color.

Misconceptions about the Earth

In the old days, people thought that our Earth stood motionless in the center of the Universe, and the Sun and all other heavenly bodies revolved around it, and that therefore night gave way to day, and day to night. For example, the monk Kuzma Indikoplov, who lived in the sixth century AD, believed that the Universe was like a chest of grandiose dimensions. In his book Christian Topography he writes that
“... the inhabited Earth rises from the south to the north higher and higher, so that the southern countries are much lower than the northern ones. Therefore, he says, the heavenly rivers Tigris and Euphrates, flowing from north to south, have a faster flow than the sacred river Nile, flowing from south to north. In the very north, he writes, there is a large mountain behind which the Sun is hidden. This, says Kuzma Indikoplov, causes the change of day and night.”
According to Kuzma Indikoplov, angels reside above the firmament of heaven, collecting clouds, sending rain and snow, drought and cold, wind and storm. Science has long destroyed these misconceptions about the Earth and about the sun setting behind the northern mountain.

Daily rotation of the Earth

The true reason for this phenomenon is that the Earth does not stand still, but constantly rotates around a certain axis all the time, making a full revolution during the day. As a result of this daily rotation of the earth, it seems to expose first one or the other side of its surface to the rays of the Sun.
The hemisphere facing the Sun is illuminated and heated by it. Here all nature is awake under the life-giving rays of the sun. It is day in this hemisphere. The other hemisphere, facing the opposite direction, is not illuminated by the sun's rays at this time, therefore, it is night there, and all nature falls asleep. Due to the constant axial rotation of the Earth, its hemispheres change their positions in relation to the Sun. Therefore, where there was night, day comes after a few hours, and vice versa. It should be noted that on the same meridian the time is the same everywhere, but on different meridians it is different. This circumstance introduces a certain order into almost all areas of national economic life.
“It’s time to finish work,” we say, the sun has already set.”
And indeed, when night falls, work stops almost everywhere. Nature and people fall asleep. But at the same time, the working day begins on the other hemisphere. So we alternate our rest, sleep and working time depending on the daily rotation of the Earth, and it rotates forever, without needing rest, like a “perpetual” motion machine. Only transport, regardless of sunrise and sunset, day and night, operates around the clock. The movement of railway trains is indicated by rails, a river steamer is shown by a buoy, and sea and air ships are helped to navigate the air and water spaces by lighthouses, a compass, a radio, modern navigators and the starry sky.