In Singapore, where it is only about 1 degree above the equator, if I am not mistaken, my sister said when she went there the sunset was at 7:30 pm! It is much later than in my hometown (about 6 degrees above the equator), where the sunset only varies from 5:40+ to 6:00+ pm. I'm wondering what the explanation to this phenomenon could be.
2007-01-05 18:43:50 · 6 answers · asked by bl00ish 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Geography
Singapore's official time zone is off by one complete natural time zone. It keeps the same time as Western Australia which is quite a ways to the east. This explains why the sunset is as much as an hour off.
Today for Singapore:
Sunrise at7:09 AMin direction113°East-southeast
Sunset at7:12 PMin direction248°West-southwest
Duration of day: 12 hours, 2 minutes (same as yesterday)
The last link has a very good discussion about how the tilt of the earth's axis and elliptical shape of the earth's orbit affect the apparent position of the sun in the sky year round. This in turn can explain how the length of the day can vary slightly even at the equator.
2007-01-05 20:55:38 · answer #1 · answered by rethinker 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
In theory, day and night should be exactly equal at the equator at all times of year, not affected by the earth's tilt. However, the time on clocks is not the same as true time and is set by "time zones". There is a slight wobble of the earth which can change the exact location of the equator, but that is too small to be noticed by clocks. I suspect that if you measured the actual length of day and night (not sunset and sunrise times) at your sister's location, they will come out very near equal.
NOTE: The sunset and sunrise must occur over the ocean or over very flat land to make the day-night comparison.
2007-01-05 18:57:29 · answer #2 · answered by gp4rts 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i think on the equator, the spring and autumn equanox are the longest days of the three hundred and sixty 5 days. And that wintry climate and summer season solstice are the shortest days of the three hundred and sixty 5 days. And each thing else is in-between. So, every day isn't an identical. additionally the dawn and sundown may well be in a distinctive region every day. i think of it incredibly is actual, yet i've got no data to back it up.
2016-10-30 03:39:04 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
because of the 23 degree tilt of the earth off its axis
2007-01-06 09:21:11 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The earth is tilted 23.5 degrees so you only really get a 12 hour day on the equinoxes.
2007-01-05 18:47:28 · answer #5 · answered by Roman Soldier 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The axis of the Earth is tilted. Otherwise the seasons would not change.
2007-01-05 18:51:21 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋