Sunrise Times - Sept. 14, 2007

We don’t, there are pre-calculated lists we use. We are asked at the television station several times each week about when sunrise or sunset will occur on a particular date. Sometimes it might be a couple planning a sunrise wedding or an anxious deer hunter wanting to know how early they need to get up. Often, the deer hunters are more excited. The fact is, it is the astronomers, not the meteorologist that determine these exact times. The US Navel Observatory figures all this out years in advance. Here is their definition about sunrise and sunset times: "Sunrise and sunset conventionally refer to the times when the upper edge of the disk of the Sun is on the horizon, considered unobstructed relative to the location of interest. Atmospheric conditions are assumed to be average, and the location is in a level region on the Earth's surface." So if the official sunrise time is 7:01am, this does not mean there will not be some light until that precise moment. By 6:45am you will notice the dark early morning sky beginning to lighten, especially as you look east. These sunrise/sunset times can be calculated out years in advance. So if you are planning a wedding or a deer hunting trip in the next few years, we should be able to tell you when to expect sunrise. Thanks to astronomers, not the meteorologists. If you have Internet access, you can find the sunrise and sunset times for your city at: http://aa.usno.navy.mil If you have a weather question, send it to: askdan@kjhr.com