The La Plata County Fairgrounds is home to the annual La Plata County Fair, which is one of the largest livestock and agricultural shows in the...
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!
Una, Colorado is located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in southwestern Colorado, just 50 miles east of Denver. The city is mainly served by U.S. Highway 36 and Colorado State Highway 143. Una, with a population of 2,213 at the 2010 census, is the county seat of La Plata County.
Una experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen "BSk") with cold, dry winters and hot, slightly wetter summers. The city has an average of 208 days of sunshine a year.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.
Una is the site of the first permanent white settlement in what is now the state of Colorado. The site of Una was first visited by Juan de Oñate on July 20, 1539, during his second expedition across North America. About a dozen men and boys, led by Sebastián Vizcaíno, set up camp near present-day Una. They named the site Nuevo Rey (New King), after Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II and Isabella I of Spain.
The first permanent white settlement was established by the Hernandez family and took root in the area of present-day downtown Una. By 1819 a small town had developed, with a constable, one church, two military companies, two stores and twenty-six homes.
Una experiences a semiarid climate (Köppen "BSk") with cold, dry winters and hot, slightly wetter summers.
The main attractions in Una are its many historic sites, such as the site of the first white settlement in what is now the state of Colorado, and the La Plata Countyfair, held each summer. The city is also known for its grocery stores, bakeries and coffee shops, and for its rodeo, held each October.
Una is also home to the Una County Fairgrounds, which are home to a wide variety of events, including motorcycle racing, truck and tractor pulls, and horse racing.
The closest states and capitals are Colorado (50 miles east), Wyoming (100 miles northeast), and New Mexico (180 miles southwest).
Attractions in and around Una include:
Cascade Falls, located 10 miles northeast of Una on US 36, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most popular tourist attractions in the state. The falls are fed by the Colorado River and receive an estimated 100,000 visitors each year.
The La Plata County Fairgrounds is home to the annual La Plata County Fair, which is one of the largest livestock and agricultural shows in the western United States. The fair features a variety of competitions, exhibitions, and entertainment events.
}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.