Civil twilight

The moments when 99% of people see sunlight

Scattering Sunlight

Twilight occurs when Earth's upper atmosphere scatters and refracts sunlight which illuminates the lower atmosphere.

A number of atmospheric phenomena and colors can be seen during twilight.

Types of Twilight

There are three types of twilight:

1. Civil twilight
2. Nautical twilight
3. Astronomical 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.

Astronomical terms & definitions

Civil Twilight, Dawn, and Dusk

Civil twilight occurs when the Sun is less than 6 degrees below the horizon.

In the morning, civil twilight begins when the Sun is 6 degrees below the horizon and ends at sunrise. In the evening, it begins at sunset and ends when the Sun reaches 6 degrees below the horizon.

Civil dawn is the moment when the center of the Sun is 6 degrees below the horizon in the morning.

Civil dusk is the moment when the

what is astronomical twilight vs night

what is astronomical twilight in general )