The Universe we are living in is packed with mysteries to be solved, secrets to be found. Each moment, landscape, and sight hold value. Sunset has its own beauty. Many people long for the sun to set and the time between it sets is the important one. If you are a photographer, an astronomer, or an astronaut, a sunset view is worth your time, you probably want to know what time does it get dark.
When the light starts to dim and darkness takes over when stars appear in the sky and the blue turns into black and you witness a field of stars.This Universe is a gold mine. Where there is darkness, there is light. But what does darkness really is? Darkness is a void that fills up with light afterward when the sun rises. And when the sun sets, that light slowly leaves the void.
From a photographer’s perspective, each moment or scene has something to offer to the big screen that you can frame afterward. You witness the most amazing scenes, landscapes, and mountains, and when it rains the sky turns gray, and the sun hides behind the dark clouds.An astronomer knows exactly what it means to experience the sunset.
When you have a telescope, you would want to look at the sun rising or setting in a close-up. Measuring the timing in-between those moments is very significant for an astronomer as the timing for how long it takes to get dark after sunset is different in each state. In some states, it takes 40 minutes to set, and in others takes 70 minutes to set.
Table of Contents
Why is the Timing Different Depending on your location?
For that first, we need to know what an equator is. The Equator is a made-up line that is drawn in the center of the earth which divides the earth into two sections called the northern hemisphere and southern hemisphere. The line can be imagined between the north and south poles.
As we know earth revolves around the sun and earth on its axis. And it is not the sun that sets or rises, it is the earth’s rotation that causes the sunset. When you move away from the equator, it takes less time for the sun to set and gives more time to the sun to rise.
Let’s Discuss Twilight
Twilight Is simply the time period between the darkness and light when the sun hasn’t set yet. There are three types of twilight, civil twilight, nautical twilight, and astronomical twilight.
During Civil twilight, you can spot Venus and mercury if you have a telescope or if you are an astronomer. Only the brightest of the objects can be seen during civil twilight. Photographs might take interest in civil twilight because it has everything a photographer needs.
During nautical twilight, you can see the stars pretty clearly because the sky is usually dark blue at this time. Dim and diffused lighting showcases its beauty of it. And photography is perfect for this one because you can take better exposure shots.
The sky’s the darkest during astronomical twilight, and stars are very much visible to the eyes. You might not be able to see galaxies but you will surely observe open clusters if you have a telescope. You can also observe milky ways.
If you are very close to the equator then the sun will probably take 20 to 30 minutes to set and there is total darkness. So on average, it takes 70 minutes to get dark after sunset. But the sky does not go fully dark even after the sunset because light bounces around the atmosphere of the earth.
What’s it Like to Experience The Sunset From Space?
Let’s discuss what it is like for an astronaut to experience the sunset if he is in space. From space, it is a totally different experience for sure. Even the timing is not the same, the spaceship an astronaut is in, revolves around the earth, in its orbit, and astronauts encounter a total of 16 sunsets and sunrises in one day.
When you look at the sunset from space, it looks like someone is holding a flashlight and moving downwards and when it disappears there is total darkness. So observing a sunset from space is like seeing a science fiction movie scene. You cannot describe a scene as beautiful as that because it is only meant to be observed.
Earth goes dark when the sun fully sets. We wouldn’t exactly call it setting because the earth is the one that revolves around the sun. Earth revolves around its axis and around the sun and you get to see an eclipse as well from certain locations. View from earth has its own beauty standards as there is a lot more variety in different shapes and forms.
It is a much more colorful experience as the earth is full of life, plants, and beautiful foliage to see there.I have never gone to space, But I can tell it is fascinating after watching a few clips. The spaceships and satellites are always in motion, revolving around the earth’s atmosphere.
When you are in space, time feels like it has stopped and you feel the sunlight touching you. And when the sun slowly disappears, it’s as if God has pushed the play button. Or when in space we can say that everything is in slow motion, because that is what it feels like to be in space, when the gravity is low.
A Photographic Perspective
Timing is of the utmost value when it comes to photography. Every photographer is curious about what time does it get dark after sunset?
A photographer and a cinematographer look for moments like a sunset, sunrise, and many other beautiful views to save in their cameras. Cinematography is something that deals with placing the beauty in a scene for an actor. Cinematographers know precisely when it is time for the sun to go down and according to that, they capture the scene.
When you are a beginner as a cinematographer, these things are a part of your learning experience. And no photographer or cinematographer wants to miss an opportunity to capture the sunset or a sunrise. So one must always ask questions like what time does it get dark after sunset when you are in a certain state or place. Because all these things come in handy when you are shooting a movie.
Final Thoughts
We have talked about how much time it takes to get dark after sunset, what it is like to witness the sunset from space, and so much more. As we can tell that the timing of a sunset differs depending upon how far or away you are from the equator, we have concluded that it takes an average of 70 minutes for the sun to fully set.
And it all depends upon the location you are observing the sunset. I hope this article has answered all of your questions and now you have an idea of how it all works. Thanks for reading!