Twilight signifies the ending of one entrepreneurial day and the beginning of another. Whether we work early, late, or choose something similar to a 9 to 5, the peace, the closure, and the opportunity to start anew is refreshing and motivational. Whether it’s part of their workday or time off, entrepreneurs maximize their drive and productivity through the break and appreciation of color before and after glorious sunrises and sunsets.
Twilight is that magical time between experiencing sunlight and darkness. Twilight is when we witness a glow and color even though the sun is below the horizon. Our Earth’s atmosphere scatters the sun’s rays to create the colors we associate with twilight – the magic.
This all occurs because of our atmosphere. Where there is no atmosphere, there is no twilight. For example, on our moon, when the sun sets, the sky is instantly dark.
Back to earth…
It’s called the golden hour. The magic hour.
Twilight occurs twice a day when the sun is below the horizon. It is the period of time right before sunrise or right after sunset. It lasts approximately 90 minutes depending upon the season and your latitude. It’s at this time that our sky is partially and enchantingly illuminated by sunlight scattering in the upper atmosphere.
The word twilight refer to the light produced by this scattering of light.
From a scientific standpoint, there are three phases of twilight, and they are defined by how far the sun is below the horizon.
The 3 phases of twilight
Civil twilight
Civil twilight happens in the morning and in the evening. It begins the moment the sun falls below the horizon or nearly reaches the horizon. The sky is still blue. You can see but civil twilight is generally when our solar lights turn on, streetlights come on, and when you start to use your headlights to let other people see you.
The brightest stars become visible, and the planets we typically see in the nighttime sky like Venus and Jupiter also become visible.
What’s known as the Belt of Venus appears during civil twilight, too. Also known as the anti-twilight arch or Venus girdle, it’s a pink band that appears on the horizon, when dust and aerosols reflect the sunlight.
Technically speaking, it’s when the sun’s geometric center is 6 degrees below the horizon.
* Measure this yourself by holding 3 fingers sideways. 6 degrees of sky is a little bit more than three average fingers held at arm’s length against the horizon.
Nautical twilight
Nautical twilight is the period between civil and astronomical twilight.
Our sky fills with stars during this time. You need to turn lights on outside to see and drive. It’s equally about other driver’s seeing you but now also about you seeing what’s in front of you.
Before technology advance, sailor and travelers used the stars to help guide them.
The name came about because this time ends when the distant line between sea and sky is no longer distinguishable.
Technically it’s the time period when the center of the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon to 12 degrees below the horizon. So hold your hand up to the horizon with fingers slightly spread and then both hands. You get the idea.
Fun Fact:
In the polar regions, the summer sun does not drop more than 12 degrees below the horizon, so they never experience total darkness. During this season, their night time is nautical twilight.
Astronomical twilight
Astronomical twilight begins after the nautical degrees drop further and the sun is 12- 18 degrees below the horizon. This usually occurs about 90 minutes after sunset or 90 minutes before sunrise.
During this time, the sky is almost completely dark. The stars are not enough illumination so unless there is a moon, it’s hard to even see shapes without artificial light.
This is the stargazers time of night!
5 reasons entrepreneurs love twilight?
1.) Twilight signifies the ending of one day.
It’s the time to close the books on today. We consider how things went, reflect upon your actions, and get ready for a new tomorrow. We don’t beat ourselves up. We relish all that we accomplished, and we reset.
“Twilight drops her curtain down, and pins it with a star.” ~ Lucy Maud Montgomery
2.) Twilight signifies the beginning of a new day.
Your new day offers you the opportunity to pick up where you left yesterday and apply new energy or simply start fresh. Tomorrow is a gift, and entrepreneurs recognize it as so.
We experience our morning routine. We get ready. We breathe! It’s our moment to set a positive tone before transitioning into work mode.
“The past is the beginning of the beginning and all that is and has been, is but the twilight of the dawn.” ~ H. G. Wells
3.) Twilight is our time to recharge.
Twice a day we are dazzled with color and inspiration. It’s enchanting. It’s inspirational. It makes us wonder and ask “why” and “how.”
Twilight evokes emotions that are unique to our entrepreneurial selves and realities, and this enchanting time evokes ethereal feelings of inspiration. You may feel worldly. Otherworldly. Or simply get lost in the mystery.
“For age is opportunity no less Than youth itself, though in another dress, And as the evening twilight fades away The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day.” ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
4.) Twilight is a time of peace.
We’ve made peace with ourselves and our accomplishments for the day. We’ve taken time to review and set the plan for tomorrow, and now we revel in the peace of letting work go and enjoying personal time away.
“Laughter is day, and sobriety is night; a smile is the twilight that hovers gently between both, more bewitching than either.” Henry Ward Beecher
5.) Twilight is a quiet time.
Let’s preface this with the fact that these actual times may not be your quiet time! Yes – there are those with round the clock businesses, those where twilight occurs in the middle of second shift or toward the close of third. In these cases, adjust. Use the metaphor. You can have your own metaphorical twilight as you have the actual technical ability to notice the time of day and admire the sky.
Twilight is a time of peace and of quiet. For most it’s a time to relax in our own ways and for bedtime routines. It’s the time to quiet our brains and rest.
“Twilight – a time of pause when nature changes her guard. All living things would fade and die from too much light or too much dark, if twilight were not.” ~ Howard Thurman
Facts about twilight (various categories!)
Twilight is more than a reference.
Lawmakers have enshrined the concept of civil twilight. Such statutes typically use a fixed period after sunset or before sunrise (most commonly 20–30 minutes), rather than how many degrees the Sun is below the horizon.
What is the blue hour in twilight?
The blue hour occurs in the morning and in the evening. It’s the nautical stage where the sun is far enough below the horizon and its remaining takes on shades of blue.
What is the magic hour?
The magic hour is also sometimes called the golden hour, and this is the time before the sun sets for the evening and after it peeks above the horizon in the morning. The sky takes on a warm and colorful glow with gold, orange, and pink hues.
What is the spiritual meaning of waking up before sunrise?
Many cultures and spiritual traditions consider this time as holistic and an opportunity for prayers, affirmations, and introspection – a perfect time to connect with your inner consciousness. It’s a time of engagement promoting stability as well as artistic expression.
It’s really whatever you need this time to be. The point is the connection within you and the connection of breaking from one day as you enter another. Breaks are essential to our health and personal satisfaction. So consider the actuality or the metaphor as part of your personal productivity plan. Ensure your own good health and wellness as you appreciate twilight. It acts as a shared benefit.
Do entrepreneurs experience a health benefit from twilight?
The low angle light is said to reduce stress and generate healthy hormone production. To get technical though , the blue light spectrum does apparently trigger your hormones and wakes up your body. so the blue hour of early sun is actually more powerful. Do you need to worry about this? No. Does it improve a skill? No. Does it alter your company business plan? No!
For our cause, it’s just a fact about the stages of twilight.
Nowhere do I read that you should time your day according to that every changing blue hour so you can go sit outside though!
That’s it?
The proven health benefit comes from receiving sunshine at any time of the day.
The timing doesn’t actually matter; it’s about waking up, waking up your body, and getting the light to boost your hormones. Sunlight has a job to do on behalf of your good health!
Ever hear of the terminator line?
It’s not about the movie! It’s about the sky.
If you were in outer space witnessing our twilight you would see a wide shadow line across our globe showing the gradual transition to darkness we all experience as night falls. This shadow is referred to as the terminator line.
The colors of twilight overcome fear of darkness!
The blues
The bright blue of the daytime sky appears to fade into shades of darker blues when looking toward the horizon. Like a platform of blues melding into the blackness of the horizon.
The famous, fleeting emerald flash
A brief flash of emerald green may appear at the top of the flattened sun as it sinks below the horizon. This phenomenon is famously known and sought after in Key West and throughout the world.
There is a technical explanation for it though. Green actually has the shortest wavelength and bends the most, so as the sun sets, the green light is the last color of light to disappear.
Brilliant oranges, pinks, and red
A pink or red hue may become visible just above Earth’s shadow.
It is caused by the scattering of sunlight where day and night meet by particles in the Earth’s upper atmosphere. This interaction is actually the same process which creates our blue skies in daytime!
Recent comments from our readers indicate:
No one needs less twilight!! Those mid latitudes do have shorter twilight periods, but if you need more, head to the poles where twilight times are much longer. Just beware of that summer extension of nautical twilight in the summer!
Twilight is magical for everyone, but it’s especially appreciated by entrepreneurs. Appreciate the goodness and opportunities created by life’s boundaries. Feel your creative juices flow. Make contact with your inner being, and develop a stronger appreciation of yourself as an individual and a talented, skilled entrepreneur.
Tonight – look up. Tomorrow – rise on time or rise early and give your sunrise some extra appreciation. You got this.
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