Dictionary term
Sunrise
Direct answer
Sunrise is the defined instant when the Sun's upper limb first appears at the observer's horizon under standard assumptions for refraction.
Sunrise is the calculated first appearance of the Sun's upper edge at the horizon.
Sunrise is the calculated first appearance of the Sun's upper edge at the horizon.
A Sun–Earth orientation for seasonal, atmospheric, tidal, and terrestrial terms.Quick reference
- Use when
- Use Sunrise with date, coordinates, time zone, elevation assumptions, and a polar-day or polar-night fallback when no event occurs.
- Do not use it for
- Do not treat a tabulated sunrise as the moment direct light clears every local mountain, tree, or building.
- Reference category
- Seasons & Earth Almanac
- Related terms
- Astronomical Season, Meteorological Season, Equinox, Solstice
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The story behind Sunrise
Rise times have been central almanac data for agriculture, navigation, worship, and civil scheduling.
Sunrise in spiritual tradition
Sunrise is a daily event that rewards local attention rather than a generic clock time.
Sunrise: fact and faith, kept distinct
This is a factual astronomy, calendar, Earth-science, cultural, or historical reference. It can support wonder at the created order without becoming a claim of fate, worship, or private revelation.
Sunrise in numerology
Sunrise 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 Sunrise matters
Sunrise time shapes daylight, prayer and work schedules, observing windows, and local almanac usefulness.
Sunrise at work: an example
Two cities in the same time zone can have different sunrise times because longitude, latitude, terrain, and season differ.
Where interpretation stops
Sunrise 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 - Definitions used by USNO for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset, and twilight.
- U.S. Naval Observatory: Complete Sun and Moon Data - Authoritative astronomical data services for positions, phases, and rise and set events.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Seasons & Earth Almanac
- Also appears in
- Seasons & Earth Almanac
- Aliases
- None listed
- Last updated
- 2026-07-15
Find local sunrise
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More in Seasons & Earth Almanac
- Amphidromic Point
- Brocken Spectre
- Dawn
- Equinoctial Tide
- Horizon Refraction
- Moonset
- Photoperiod
- Solar Declination
Common questions
What is Sunrise?
Sunrise is the defined instant when the Sun's upper limb first appears at the observer's horizon under standard assumptions for refraction.
How is Sunrise used in an almanac?
Use Sunrise with date, coordinates, time zone, elevation assumptions, and a polar-day or polar-night fallback when no event occurs.
What should I avoid when interpreting Sunrise?
Do not treat a tabulated sunrise as the moment direct light clears every local mountain, tree, or building.
