Sunset
Sunset is the special time of day we can determine the sun's position relative to the
stars. At sunset the sun dips below the horizon, the sky gradually gets dark, and the
stars become visible. With the stars visible and the sun just below the horizon
the position of the sun on the celestial sphere of stars becomes apparent.
The other time of day we can determine where the sun is relative to the stars is just
before sunrise.
During the day the stars are still there, we just can't see them due to the bright blue sky.
If the bright blue sky were to disappear, and the sun's brightness to dim a bit, we could
see both the sun and the stars at the same time.
During a total solar eclipse, when the moon moves directly in front of the sun blocking
almost all of it's light, the sky becomes dark enough for us to see some of the brighter
stars, again allowing us to see the position of the sun on the celestial sphere of stars.
Back to RELIGIOUS STUDIES index
