Dawn (from an Old English verb dagian "to become day") is the time that marks the beginning of the twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the presence of weak sunlight, while the sun itself is still below the horizon. Dawn should not be confused with sunrise, which is the moment when the leading edge of the sun itself appears above the horizon.
The duration of the twilight period between dawn and sunrise varies greatly depending on the observer's latitude, from a few minutes in equatorial regions to many hours in polar regions.
Read more about Dawn: Technical Definitions, Causes and Effects, Mythology and Religion, Literature
Famous quotes containing the word dawn:
“Who can this ambition trace,
To be each dawn perpetually journeying?”
—Philip Larkin (1922–1986)
“The next Augustan age will dawn on the other side of the Atlantic. There will, perhaps, be a Thucydides at Boston, a Xenophon at New York, and, in time, a Virgil at Mexico, and a Newton at Peru. At last, some curious traveller from Lima will visit England and give a description of the ruins of St Paul’s, like the editions of Balbec and Palmyra.”
—Horace Walpole (1717–1797)
“For dawn takes away a third part of your work, and advances a man on his journey, and advances him in his work.”
—Hesiod (c. 8th century B.C.)