Thursday 5 May 2011

Sunrise, Sunset -- Anything Sun!

The conception of sunrise or sunset appear like elementary things right? 
But depending upon degree of the sun with respect to the horizon there are 3 or 4 sunrises and sunsets a day. These are: 
Actual
Civil- That's when Sun is (0-6) degree below the horizon.  
Nautical- That's when Sun is (6-12) degree below the horizon.  
Astronomical- That's when Sun is (12-18) degree below the horizon.  
Wikipedia only shows three, omitting the actual. However, the actual is the most basic of all and that's when the rays from the sun at sunrise or sunset actually strikes the surface of the earth (as we were taught in school–remember basic earth science?)  

Sometimes I feel puzzled of whether I am looking at the sunrise or sunset of a life event and  is it indication of the new beginning, or am I at a dead end? When I asked in an online community to judge which one of the above snaps are sunrise/sunset I was surprised to see that majority of them were wrong. I realized only the one taking the picture knows it exactly, however, others look for clues and make a guess with their moods dictating the perception. For eg: If I am happy at the moment I would choose sunrise that denotes a new beginning. If I am sad at the moment I would choose sunset that denotes the dead end. One can also choose to just sit back and enjoy the scenery without trying to decipher it too much. :) 





At one instant of time we are standing at the beginning of our life, ~youth~, and before we know it and do something, at the next instant of time we are in the midst of our sunset years approaching deathbed.