Durango, Colorado, is located in the southwestern region of the U.S. state of Colorado, about midway between Denver, to the northeast, and Las V...
Sunset
Twilight
Darkness
Most people know that sunset is the time when the sun goes down. But did you know that the sun doesn't actually set? Instead, Earth rotates into darkness, giving us the illusion that the sun is setting. So what causes sunset?
Well, it's a combination of things. The Earth's atmosphere scatters sunlight in every direction, but blue and violet light are scattered more than other colors. This is why the sky is usually blue during the daytime. As the sun gets lower in the sky, the atmosphere becomes thicker and more dense.
This scattering of sunlight happens to a greater extent, and we see red and orange light more than blue and violet light. That's why sunset is usually a beautiful red or orange color. So next time you see sunset, remember that you're actually seeing Earth rotate into darkness!
Durango, Colorado, is located in the southwestern region of the U.S. state of Colorado, about midway between Denver, to the northeast, and Las Vegas, Nevada, to the southwest. The city is situated along the Rio Grande Gorge and is situated on the Western Slope of the Rocky Mountains. The city experiences hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters. Durango has an elevation of 6,519 feet (1,972 m) above sea level. The city is spread out over a area of 164.5 square miles (417.5 km2). As of the 2010 Census, the city's population was 68,646, making it the most populous city in the Durango-Silverton metropolitan area. The Durango-Silverton metropolitan area ranks fifteenth in the U.S. with 248,844 people. A major attraction of Durango is the San Juan Mountain National Monument, which contains Estes Park, the most visited National Park in the United States.
}As the sun sets, the sky slowly grows dark. For many people, this is a time to relax and wind down for the day. But have you ever wondered exactly when it gets dark? The answer may surprise you.
Did you know that darkness actually begins long before the sun sets? As the sun gets lower in the sky, its light has to travel through more atmosphere. This filters out some of the blue light, making the sun look redder. At the same time, shadows get longer and darker. So by the time the sun finally dips below the horizon, darkness has already begun to fall.
Of course, not all places on Earth experience darkness at the same time. Near the equator, the sun sets and rises almost directly overhead. This means that there is less of a difference between daytime and nighttime. Closer to the poles, however, the sun stays low in the sky for much of the year. This leads to longer periods of darkness during wintertime.