Dawn
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Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of the twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the presence of weak sunlight, while the sun itself is still below the horizon. Dawn should not be confused with sunrise, which is the moment when the leading edge of the sun itself appears above the horizon.
The duration of the twilight period between dawn and sunrise varies greatly depending on the observer's latitude, from a few minutes in equatorial regions to many hours in polar regions.
[edit] Types
There are also more technical definitions of dawn, including the following:
- Astronomical dawn
- the moment after which the sky is no longer completely dark; formally defined as the time at which the sun is 18 degrees below the horizon in the morning. [1]
- Nautical dawn
- the time at which there is enough sunlight for the horizon and some objects to be distinguishable; formally, when the sun is 12 degrees below the horizon in the morning. [1]
- Civil dawn
- that time at which there is enough light for objects to be distinguishable, so that outdoor activities can commence; formally, when the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon in the morning. [1]
[edit] Mythology
Many Indo-European mythologies have a goddess of dawn, separate from the male Sun god, her name deriving from PIE *h2ausos-, derivations of which include Greek Eos, Roman Aurora, Indian Ushas, Slavic Zornitsa and possibly a Germanic *Austrōn- (whence Easter).
[edit] Folklore
In folklore, belief that dawn banishes evil spirits, zombies, ghosts, vampires, trolls, fairies and demons is common, for various reasons, throughout Eastern and Western cultures.[citation needed]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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