Q. Does the Sun set faster in the tropics?

Answer 1

Yes, it does, said Dr. Alan J. Friedman, director of the New York Hall of Science in Queens. The rate is determined by where the observer is located on the curvature of the Earth, he said; the closer to the equator, the faster the sunset, or the sunrise.

As the Sun moves along an apparent path in the sky determined in part by the Earth's motion around the Sun, the motion is at the same rate anywhere in the world, Dr. Friedman said. The slight variation in this motion from one day to the next, which occurs because the Earth does not move in a perfect circle around the Sun but in an ellipse, is also the same anywhere on Earth.

However, because of the curvature of the Earth and where each point on it is in relation to the Sun, the Sun's path is not at the same angle every place on Earth, he explained. The closer to the equator, the closer the motion is to straight up and down, and the smaller the visual distance the Sun must cover as it sets or rises. At the Equator, the angle is 90 degrees, at latitude 45 degrees north it is 45 degrees, etc.

When the disk of the setting Sun is just on the horizon of an equatorial ocean, going straight down, it has to cover only one diameter of the Sun, about half a degree, and then is completely out of sight, Dr. Friedman said. But in Seattle, at the same time, the Sun sits on the horizon, moving to the right as well as straight down, like a coin rolling slightly to the right as it sinks into a hole. Moving at the same speed, it takes longer on the path.

The further to the north or south, the further the angle is from vertical. Close to the North or South Poles, it may take weeks or months for the Sun to set. "Or depending on the season, it may never set at all, but stay halfway up and halfway down, making a circle, losing a little height every day," Dr. Friedman said. "When it finally sets, it takes months before it rises again."

Answer 2

Yes it does. The sun draws a circle in the sky every day. On the equator this time of the year the sun pretty much rises right in the east and sets in right in the west going straight overhead in the middle of the day. You only see half the circle and it will look as if the sun is moving in a straight line at a constant rate. Up north the day and night is also almost the same this time of the year but because of the curvature of the earth the halfcircle is slant. It kind of lies down on the side and because of that lateral motion the sunrise and sunset are both slower. In the winter up here the day is pretty much just one veeery long combined sunrise/sunset. And in the summer the night is one long sunset/sunrise while down in the tropics the sun seems to just drop off the horizon. In the link below you can see for your self. Compare the time for the the civil twilight, or lighting up time, from start to sunrise in your location to a place in the tropics. In Quito, Ecuador sunrise takes 20 minutes. Where I am sunrise takes 40 minutes.

-Edit-
Geez... Every one above is totally wrong... Scary.

Answer 3

Africa is most definitely a continent. The continents are: North America South America Europe Asia Africa Antarctica Australasia Sun rise and sunset are to do with latitude, that is to say how far you are from the earth's equator. For instance if you live in the polar regions the sun stays up for six months of the year and sets for six months of the year. If you didn't reset your watch when you visited Africa to local time the longitude also plays a part, that's why we have time zones. I think for every 15 degrees of longitude you move from the Greenwich meridian add or subtract 1 hour to off set for local time. The sun rises in the East so the further East you go the sooner the sun rises. The fictional book "Around the World in 80 days" by Jules Verne makes use of this phenomenon. It's caused of course by the Earth being round.

Answer 4

No.

What *does* happen, though, is that since the sun sets pretty well straight down, it gets below the horizon quickly, much more so than in temperate latitudes. This produces the very rapid onset of darkness that is characteristic of the tropics.

The times of sunrise and sunset don't change much during the year in the tropics. The sun rises at 6 and sets at 6, plus or minus a few minutes, all year.

Answer 5

The sun sets at the same speed no matter where you are in the world (unless of course at the poles where it may never rise or never set).
The speed of rising or setting is determined by the rotation of the earth which is almost constant (so small a variation that scientists call it a constant speed).
Most areas have a landscape which includes buildings, trees, etc. which block the sun partially as it sets. When you are in an area that is absent these obstructions, the sun is visible all the way to the horizon and then seems to suddenly vanish. It's an optical illusion of sorts, because the obstructions block the direct sunlight and cast shadows and false darkness, but the sky is still illuminated with the light that is shining above them. Absent these blocks, you have all direct lighting until the moment when it sets behind the horizon.

Answer 6

The earth rotates at a fairly constant speed. It may seem that the sun sets faster in the tropics, but that is only because of the way the light refracts through the atmosphere. A day is still 24 hours long, no matter where you are on earth...aside from the the poles, where it can be daylight or dark for months at a time. But that's a totally different subject.

Answer 7

A very vague question. Sunset is simply defined as the time at which the Sun gets below the horizon. However, the time between the sun first 'touching' the horizon and sinking below it is dependent on your latitude. If you are in the polar region, the sun skims along the horizon at quite a shallow angle, so it can take a long time for the whole disc to go below it. In equatorial and tropical regions the sun approaches the horizon more vertically, so sinks completely below it very rapidly.

Answer 8

The sun does not set faster. But when you are in the tropics the longest days of the year depend on your latitude and there are two of them, because the sun passes directly overhead twice a year.

Answer 9

Not necessarily. It depends on the time of year.

The sun rises and sets at about the same time every day (between 6:15 and 7:15). But the sun WILL rise and set more slowly than whichever side of the planet is experiencing winter.

Answer 10

You are correct ! Just like in a marching band line swooping out an arc, the outside guy has to move faster to keep up, while the inside guy hardly moves at all, the equator is moving faster than the rotation closer to the poles.