Is the sunset time actually when it gets dark?

Question

Does it actually get darker before or after or at the official sunset time? Obviously it's a gradual thing, but lets say the time for today is 07:32pm...I'm assuming that at that time, the sun will be gone from the sky...but wont there be residual light left over for a while? Sorry, I've just never payed much attention to it! Thanks

Answer 1

It gets completely dark about 1/2 hour after the sun sets.

Answer 2

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RE:
Is the sunset time actually when it gets dark?
Does it actually get darker before or after or at the official sunset time? Obviously it's a gradual thing, but lets say the time for today is 07:32pm...I'm assuming that at that time, the sun will be gone from the sky...but wont there be residual light left over for a while? Sorry,...

Answer 3

It takes a while to get dark after sunset. It got dark in Ga tonight at 8:30. The sun set at 7:59 Of course it's raining too so that factors in.

Answer 4

I'm not sure, but i know there is light after the sun sets. this is because we consider "sunset" As the time where the sun sets beyond the horizon.

I guess we still see light after sunset because the earth is still slightly facing towards the sun. by dark, however, the place you are in is facing the oppisite direction.

Answer 5

It gets dark at 5:30

Answer 6

When Does It Get Dark

Answer 7

Short answer: Yes, it gets darker after the official sunset time.

Longer answer: Sounds like what you're looking for is the definition of sunrise/sunset and civil, nautical, and astronomical twilight. The different twilight defininitions deal with the light in the sky before (after) the sun has risen (set).

The US Naval Observatory also provides these times for any location on the globe. Note that these predictions assume flat, unobstructed terrain to the horizon.

Sunrise/sunset: Sunrise and sunset conventionally refer to the times when the upper edge of the disk of the Sun is on the horizon, considered unobstructed relative to the location of interest. Atmospheric conditions are assumed to be average, and the location is in a level region on the Earth's surface.

Civil twilight: Defined to begin in the morning, and to end in the evening when the center of the Sun is geometrically 6 degrees below the horizon. This is the limit at which twilight illumination is sufficient, under good weather conditions, for terrestrial objects to be clearly distinguished; at the beginning of morning civil twilight, or end of evening civil twilight, the horizon is clearly defined and the brightest stars are visible under good atmospheric conditions in the absence of moonlight or other illumination. In the morning before the beginning of civil twilight and in the evening after the end of civil twilight, artificial illumination is normally required to carry on ordinary outdoor activities. Complete darkness, however, ends sometime prior to the beginning of morning civil twilight and begins sometime after the end of evening civil twilight.

Nautical twilight: Defined to begin in the morning, and to end in the evening, when the center of the sun is geometrically 12 degrees below the horizon. At the beginning or end of nautical twilight, under good atmospheric conditions and in the absence of other illumination, general outlines of ground objects may be distinguishable, but detailed outdoor operations are not possible, and the horizon is indistinct.

Astronomical twilight: Defined to begin in the morning, and to end in the evening when the center of the Sun is geometrically 18 degrees below the horizon. Before the beginning of astronomical twilight in the morning and after the end of astronomical twilight in the evening the Sun does not contribute to sky illumination; for a considerable interval after the beginning of morning twilight and before the end of evening twilight, sky illumination is so faint that it is practically imperceptible.

If you want to look up a particular twilight, then be sure to use this form and make sure to select your desired twilight.
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneYear.html

Answer 8

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Answer 9

Lots of great answers already for this