Why is there a difference between the visible sunrise/sunset timing and the one given in the computer timetable?
There is always a difference between visible and true sunrise/sunset timings. This difference is due mainly to a refraction effect (bending) as the sun’s rays enter the relatively dense atmosphere of the earth. There are several definitions of sunrise/sunset given in Veda. For Agnihotra the definition used is sun’s position one and a half discs above the horizon when the refraction effect is taken into account. Practically speaking this means that at sunrise the sun will appear to have already risen at the correct timing of Agnihotra. And at sunset the sun will appear to have not yet set at the correct timing. The difference in time between the visible and true timings may vary by up to as much as 5 minutes. Computer generated timetables for whole year for any particular place are available up to seconds accuracy using software developed in Germany.
Related Questions
- DATA FROM THE MYSTERY CLASSES: Q: When and how will the sunrise/sunset data from the Mystery Classes be given each week?
- Why is there a difference between the visible sun rise/set timing and the one given in the timetable on some days?
- Why is there a difference between the visible sunrise/sunset timing and the one given in the computer timetable?
