Dictionary term
Civil Twilight
Direct answer
Civil Twilight is the period when the Sun center is between the horizon and 6 degrees below it before sunrise or after sunset.
Civil Twilight spans Sun altitudes from 0 to -6 degrees.
Civil Twilight spans Sun altitudes from 0 to -6 degrees.
A Sun–Earth orientation for seasonal, atmospheric, tidal, and terrestrial terms.Quick reference
- Use when
- Use Civil Twilight for daily almanacs, photography, aviation, lighting, and public-event planning.
- Do not use it for
- Actual visibility depends on clouds, terrain, haze, Moon, and artificial light, so the angle is not a safety guarantee.
- Reference category
- Seasons & Earth Almanac
- Related terms
- Solar Terminator, Nautical Twilight, Astronomical Season, Equinox
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The story behind Civil Twilight
Standard twilight depression angles gave navigators and almanac makers repeatable definitions beyond subjective brightness.
Civil Twilight in spiritual tradition
Spiritually, Civil Twilight can mark a gentle threshold while remaining a defined solar angle.
Civil Twilight: fact and faith, kept distinct
This is a factual calendar, astronomy, Earth-science, cultural-history, or observational reference. It can support wonder and practical planning without becoming a claim of fate, spiritual causation, or private revelation.
Civil Twilight in numerology
Civil Twilight is not a numerology claim. Any numbers attached to it should retain their ordinary scientific, calendrical, navigational, or historical meaning unless a separate symbolic interpretation is clearly labeled.
Why Civil Twilight matters
It often provides enough natural light for many outdoor activities and defines several legal or operational lighting thresholds.
Civil Twilight at work: an example
Evening Civil Twilight ends when the Sun center reaches 6 degrees below the horizon.
Where interpretation stops
Civil Twilight is presented as sourced astronomy, calendrical, Earth-science, cultural, or instrument-history reference. Definitions should distinguish measured phenomena from civil convention and historical interpretation, preserve location and time dependencies, and avoid turning factual sky data into a deterministic personal claim.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- U.S. Naval Observatory: Rise, Set, and Twilight Definitions - Official definitions used for sunrise, sunset, refraction, and twilight calculations.
- NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory: Solar Calculator Glossary - NOAA definitions for solar geometry, atmospheric refraction, and civil, nautical, and astronomical twilight.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Seasons & Earth Almanac
- Also appears in
- Seasons & Earth Almanac
- Aliases
- None listed
- Last updated
- 2026-07-16
Find today civil-twilight window
Civil Twilight in a book is one thing; Civil Twilight in your own birth chart is your life. The Oracle casts your real chart and tells you what it means for your love, your work, and your year ahead, in conversation, free.
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More in Seasons & Earth Almanac
Common questions
What is Civil Twilight?
Civil Twilight is the period when the Sun center is between the horizon and 6 degrees below it before sunrise or after sunset.
How is Civil Twilight used in an almanac?
Use Civil Twilight for daily almanacs, photography, aviation, lighting, and public-event planning.
What should I avoid when interpreting Civil Twilight?
Actual visibility depends on clouds, terrain, haze, Moon, and artificial light, so the angle is not a safety guarantee.
