Glossary term: Noche
Description: La noche es un periodo de oscuridad en el que el Sol se encuentra por debajo del horizonte. La noche se extiende desde la puesta del sol hasta el amanecer. En la mayor parte de la Tierra, cada día de 24 horas tiene una noche. Sin embargo, al norte del círculo polar ártico y al sur del círculo polar antártico, hay periodos de oscuridad en torno al solsticio de invierno en los que la noche polar puede durar meses. En estas zonas no hay noche en torno al solsticio de verano.
El periodo en el que el Sol se encuentra justo por debajo del horizonte se denomina crepúsculo. Durante el crepúsculo, el Sol sigue iluminando parte del cielo. El crepúsculo se divide en tres periodos iguales: crepúsculo civil, crepúsculo náutico y crepúsculo astronómico. Durante el crepúsculo civil —cuando el Sol se encuentra entre cero y seis grados por debajo del horizonte— el cielo es relativamente brillante, por lo que a menudo no se requiere iluminación artificial, como el alumbrado público. El crepúsculo náutico —cuando el Sol se encuentra entre seis y doce grados por debajo del horizonte— permite ver estrellas brillantes y el cielo es lo suficientemente luminoso como para distinguir el horizonte incluso en una noche sin luna. Esto permite a los marineros navegar utilizando la navegación astronómica. El crepúsculo astronómico se produce cuando el Sol se encuentra entre doce y dieciocho grados por debajo del horizonte.
Related Terms:
- Degree
- Horizonte
- Solstice
- Sun
- Día
- Círculo Polar Ártico
- Círculo Polar Antártico
- Día polar
- Polar Night
See this term in other languages
Term and definition status: The original definition of this term in English have been approved by a research astronomer and a teacher The translation of this term and its definition is still awaiting approval
The OAE Multilingual Glossary is a project of the IAU Office of Astronomy for Education (OAE) in collaboration with the IAU Office of Astronomy Outreach (OAO). The terms and definitions were chosen, written and reviewed by a collective effort from the OAE, the OAE Centers and Nodes, the OAE National Astronomy Education Coordinators (NAECs) and other volunteers. You can find a full list of credits here. All glossary terms and their definitions are released under a Creative Commons CC BY-4.0 license and should be credited to "IAU OAE".
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Related Media
ISS' view of nightly Japan
Caption: This nighttime photograph of Earth was taken from the International Space Station (ISS) by astronaut Scott Kelly in 2015 during Expedition 44. It captures the nation of Japan lit up after dark, with bright city lights tracing urban centers, major roadways, and densely populated regions. The view from orbit at night highlights how human activity shows up as patterns of light on Earth’s surface, with well-lit areas contrasting sharply against the surrounding darkness of rural regions and open water.
Photographs like this highlight what “night” looks like from space — not just a lack of sunlight, but also a time when artificial light reveals the rhythms of human life across the globe. From hundreds of kilometers above the planet, the night side of Earth appears as a tapestry of glowing clusters and dark spaces, offering insight into population distribution, infrastructure, and how cities remain active long after sunset. The ISS’s low orbit allows astronauts to capture these detailed views of Earth after dark, helping us appreciate both natural and human elements of nighttime on our planet.
Credit: NASA
credit link
License: PD Public Domain icons
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License: CC-BY-4.0 Creative Commons Reconocimiento 4.0 Internacional (CC BY 4.0) icons
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