Time of Day[edit]

The timing of sunrise varies throughout the year and is also affected by the viewer's latitude and
longitude, altitude, and time zone. These changes are driven by the axial tilt of Earth, daily rotation of
the Earth, the planet's movement in its annual elliptical orbit around the Sun, and the Earth and
Moon's paired revolutions around each other. The analemma can be used to make approximate
predictions of the time of sunrise.

Time of sunrise in 2008 for Libreville, Gabon. Near the equator, the variation of the time of sunrise is mainly
governed by the variation of the equation of time. See here for the sunrise chart of a different location.

In late winter and spring, sunrise as seen from temperate latitudes occurs earlier each day, reaching
its earliest time near the summer solstice; although the exact date varies by latitude. After this point,
the time of sunrise gets later each day, reaching its latest sometime around the winter solstice. The
offset between the dates of the solstice and the earliest or latest sunrise time is caused by the
eccentricity of Earth's orbit and the tilt of its axis, and is described by the analemma, which can be
used to predict the dates.
Variations in atmospheric refraction can alter the time of sunrise by changing its apparent position.
Near the poles, the time-of-day variation is exaggerated, since the Sun crosses the horizon at a very
shallow angle and thus rises more slowly.[1]
Accounting for atmospheric refraction and measuring from the leading edge slightly increases the
average duration of day relative to night. The sunrise equation, however, which is used to derive the
time of sunrise and sunset, uses the Sun's physical center for calculation, neglecting atmospheric
refraction and the non-zero angle subtended by the solar disc.