Time of Darkness – What Time Does It Get Dark?

In the middle of summer, the sun sets late in the evening, allowing us to stay up a little bit longer to enjoy the outdoors. But when winter arrives, nights become longer and darkness falls earlier. If you’re wondering what time it gets dark, the answer depends on where you are in the world and when it is in the year.

Daylight and Darkness

Daylight is the main source of light during waking hours, while darkness comes at night. The time when sunset arrives and the day transitions to night varies depending on the season and your geographical location. In general, nights are longest in winter and shortest in summer.

What Time Does It Get Dark?

By definition, night begins when the sun is 18 degrees below the horizon and lasts until the sun rises at least 18 degrees above the horizon. This means what time it gets dark can vary greatly. In the winter, sunset tends to occur between 4:00 p.m. and 6 p.m. in most locations. In the summer, on the other hand, nightfall is typically anytime between 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

The timing of sunset is also affected by geographical location. In the Northern hemisphere, regions closer to the North Pole tend to experience earlier sunsets throughout the year. In the summer, the sun sets as early as 9:30 p.m. in some locations in Alaska, for example. On the other hand, evening twilight tends to last longer in the Southern hemisphere, with sunset occurring well after 9 p.m. in some parts.

Conclusion

The exact timing of when it gets dark will vary from region to region and from season to season. In general, you can expect evening twilight to arrive between 4:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., depending on the time of year and geographical location. Knowing the darkness schedule ahead of time can help you plan the perfect night out if you’re looking to make the most of your time.