Joplin, Missouri, located in southwestern Missouri, is a city known for its role in the 1902 Union Street Railway Disaster. Joplin is also the h...
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!
Joplin, Missouri, located in southwestern Missouri, is a city known for its role in the 1902 Union Street Railway Disaster. Joplin is also the home of Southern Methodist University. Joplin is situated in southwestern Missouri, about halfway between Springfield and Kansas City. Joplin is located at [34.23, -94.24], at an elevation of about 512 feet (162 meters). Joplin has a humid subtropical climate, with hot, humid summers and cold winters. The nearest states are Arkansas and Oklahoma, both about 250 miles (400 kilometers) to the east, while the nearest major city is Kansas City, Missouri, about 350 miles (560 kilometers) to the southwest. Joplin is within the political boundaries of the state of Missouri, and is represented in the United States Congress by the Republican U.S. Representative Sam Graves of the Fifth District. The closest state capital is Jefferson City, about 120 miles (200 kilometers) to the east. Joplin is also the seat of Lewis and Clark County. The major attractions in Joplin are the Joplin Museum of Art, the historic district of Downtown Joplin, and the Canaan Valley Zoo. The closest major airports are Springfield-Branson National Airport, about 220 miles (350 kilometers) to the east, and Kansas City International Airport, about 340 miles (550 kilometers) to the southwest.
}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.