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Dawn to Dusk

Sunrises and sunsets are some of nature’s most awe-inspiring displays. Their brilliant hues and golden light have fascinated artists and sky watchers for centuries. For example, many famous paintings depict the shades of colour seen in sunrises or sunsets. To enjoy these same colours, some people plan activities so that they can view the sun rising or setting. It is clear that each event is striking in its own way. But overall, sunrises are more beautiful than sunsets.

Part of the reason a sunrise is more beautiful than a sunset is because our eyes perceive them as more attractive. If you wake up early to watch the sunrise, your eyes are still adjusted to seeing in the dark. Because your night vision is sharper than your daytime vision, your eyes can pick up each and every colour of the sunrise. When viewing a sunset, meanwhile, your eyesight has been adjusted to daylight for many hours. Plus, your eyes may be tired from hours of active use throughout the day. So, your eyes are not able to easily see each colour in a sunset as it appears.

The quality of the air also makes sunrises more beautiful than sunsets. Pollutants, like smog and soot, cloud the air throughout the day. By the time the sun sets, there is often a filmy haze in the atmosphere. This haze mutes many colours in a sunset, giving us a less brilliant show. The atmosphere then cleans the haze away overnight, leaving the air as clean as possible for a colourful sunrise.

Of course, all beauty is subjective. For example, the same pollutants that dull the colours of the sunset also scatter its colours widely across the sky. This gives the sky a less orderly look. Many people consider this display to be more beautiful than a neat, restrained sunrise. But this man-made light show is not a natural representation of the setting sun’s colour and beauty. A sunrise, on the other hand, is a pure display of nature’s colours.

Sunrises are not just more beautiful than sunsets. According to some studies, watching sunrises can also improve your mood. And you will better appreciate the natural beauty around you every day. So, take some time to stop and watch the colours of a sunrise as they unfold. You might even feel inspired to pick up a camera, paintbrush or pen to express how the experience made you feel.