WHY IS OUR MAGHRIB TIME LATER THAN OTHER MOSQUES?
It is adjusted for the refraction of light at sunset
So how is this refraction of sunlight at sunset connected to our advanced sunrise and delayed sunset?
Imagine the journey of light rays from the sun. Their initial journey is through vacuum and then through the atmosphere of the earth and then it is finally seen by us. In this case, the vacuum will be a rare medium and the earth's atmosphere with all its temperature changes, winds, different gases will be a denser medium in comparison.
During sunrise, when the sun is just below the horizon, our atmosphere causes the light rays to bend and we see the sun early. Similarly, at sunset, the apparent position of the sun is visible to us and not the actual position due to the same bending of the light rays effect.
To sum up, due to the refraction, we see the sun rise about two minutes before it is actually there, and during the sunset, we see it around two minutes more, although it is already moved from that position.
So you need to add three minutes to the sunset time shown in the newspapers or in the phone apps for the Maghrib salaat or for breaking of the fast.
It is adjusted for the refraction of light at sunset
So how is this refraction of sunlight at sunset connected to our advanced sunrise and delayed sunset?
Imagine the journey of light rays from the sun. Their initial journey is through vacuum and then through the atmosphere of the earth and then it is finally seen by us. In this case, the vacuum will be a rare medium and the earth's atmosphere with all its temperature changes, winds, different gases will be a denser medium in comparison.
During sunrise, when the sun is just below the horizon, our atmosphere causes the light rays to bend and we see the sun early. Similarly, at sunset, the apparent position of the sun is visible to us and not the actual position due to the same bending of the light rays effect.
To sum up, due to the refraction, we see the sun rise about two minutes before it is actually there, and during the sunset, we see it around two minutes more, although it is already moved from that position.
So you need to add three minutes to the sunset time shown in the newspapers or in the phone apps for the Maghrib salaat or for breaking of the fast.
