Why does the sun set earleir closer to the equater?

Question

I went on a cruise just this last week. I noticed that in Houston the sun set past 8 p.m. central time. Then, while in the Carribean Sea, then sun set at 6:40ish. I thought that the closer to the equator you were, the later the sun set. We were hundreds of miles south of the Tropic of Cancer and the Sun is still overhead the northern hemisphere. Please help with this question. I am knowledgeable in science, but this question is driving me crazy!

Answer 1

during the summer, the sun sets the latest at the tropic of cancer, not the equator. houston is closer to the tropic of cancer than the equator is. the equator's days last the longest on the equinoxes, and are short in both the summer and winter solstaces

Answer 2

It all has to do with the earth's axis. The equator is not angled away from the sun at all so it appears to set much faster than it would in the north or south.
This also explains why the north pole has 6 months of day and 6 months of night.

Answer 3

When it is spring and summer in the Northern Hemisphere, the Sun sets earlier the farther South you go. When it is spring and summer in the Southern Hemisphere the sun sets earlier the farther North you go.

Answer 4

well you know daylight savings, but there is also a difference in where the sun is postioned during the summer and winter, they're called eqiunox(i think thats how u spell it) and the time zone is different too, by probly 2 hours, making the sunrise and sunset change, you will learn this in geography class

Answer 5

at the equator day and night are more equal - on the equinoxes, day and night are exactly the same - the difference during the rest of the year is because of the tilt of the Earth

Answer 6

Remember, the horizon for the sunset is not parallel to longitudinal lines. Here is a map-projection of current sunlight: http://www.die.net/earth/
As you can see, the sunrise/sunset lines are diagonal. This is due to the angle of the earth.

Answer 7

That is where the earth is widest latitude wise. closer to the north pole you go, the longer you have sunlight. closer you are at the equator you are, your days are more equal year-around.

Answer 8

the solar placing into the sea is so so appealing, regardless of if it does recommend the day is coming toa close so i like seeing the solar arise, that provides me the entire day earlier than me to do stuff smile solid success

Answer 9

the time of a sunset doesnt matter, it all depends on how much sunlight you get in the area, in which case there is less day further away from the equator