In 2010, Surprise was named the nation's fastest-growing city by Forbes.com. In that year, the city's population increased by 10.7% – more than...
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!
Surprise, Arizona is a city located in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 64,909. Surprise is located southeast of Phoenix and northeast of Tucson. The cities of Surprise and Sun City are the two incorporated municipalities within the city limits.
Surprise is located at 33°24′32″N 112°09′12″W / 33.448°N 112.183°W / 33.448; -112.183 (33.44813, -112.18318). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water.
Surprise experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen "BSk"), with very warm summers and cold winters. October is the month with the most days of sunshine and on average, there are 191 days of sunshine annually.
Surprise is bordered by Sun City, Surprise and Goodyear to the north, by Peoria to the east, by Mesa to the southwest, and by Phoenix and Tucson to the south. Interstate 10 forms the eastern boundary of the city, with US Routes 60 and 191 providing major east-west and north-south routes, respectively, through it.
In 1881, settler William Hyder erected a tent and started trading goods with the Native American population in the area. In 1883, Hyder erected the first permanent building in the area, a small adobe house, and named his trading post "Surprise". The City of Surprise was incorporated on December 8, 1925. Prior to its incorporation, the area that is now Surprise was part of the Territory of Arizona.
Population growth in Surprise after World War II was due in part to the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC was created in 1933 as a result of the New Deal program of the United States government and was aimed at creating jobs and improving thecountry's infrastructure. The Surprise CCC constructed roads, erected buildings, and operated the first ski resort in Arizona.
Today, Surprise is home to several large corporate headquarters, including Home Depot, Lowes, Patriots, Stater Bros., McDonald's, and Phillips 66. The city is also home to dozens of small businesses and a variety of cultural institutions.
Surprise is home to the Papago Park Golf Club, Surprise Recreation Park, and the Surprise Recreation Center.
Surprise has a great deal to offer tourists, with attractions including the Arizon Memorial Museum, the Museum of Northern Arizona, the Grande Museum of Arizona, the McDonald's Museum, and the White Tank Mountain Regional Park.
In 2010, Surprise was named the nation's fastest-growing city by Forbes.com. In that year, the city's population increased by 10.7% – more than double the national average – prompting the publication
}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.