What is the Difference Between Dawn and Sunrise?

The difference between dawn and sunrise lies in the level of sunlight and the sun's position in the sky. Here are the key distinctions:

• Dawn: Dawn marks the beginning of twilight before sunrise, when the center of the Sun's disc has reached 18° below the observer's horizon. It occurs before sunrise and is characterized by indirect sunlight being scattered in the atmosphere. There are three different phases of dawn: astronomical, nautical, and civil twilight, which differ based on the angular distance of the center of the Sun below the horizon.
• Sunrise: Sunrise is the moment when the first part of the Sun becomes visible in the morning, when the top edge of the Sun is at 0.57° below the horizon due to the refraction of the Sun's light. It occurs after dawn and is the point when direct sunlight outshines the diffused light.

Dawn and sunrise are part of the morning twilight period, which starts with the first sight of lightness in the morning and continues until the Sun breaks the horizon.

Comparative Table: Dawn vs Sunrise

The difference between dawn and sunrise can be understood through the following table:

In summary, dawn is the gradual lightening of the sky before sunrise, and it is marked by the sun being 6° below the horizon. Sunrise, on the other hand, is the exact moment when the top edge of the sun appears above the horizon and is the transition from twilight to daylight.