Originally Posted by
John Eacott
Yes, but it's so much fun casting a bit of burley into the waters and seeing what comes rising to the bait
Oh, yes, isn't it just. Dualing jurisdictions playing the my definition is better than yours game.
When it comes down to brass tacks, we can probably thank ICAO (let's blame them, they haven't been mentioned yet):
ICAO definition found in Annex 6 Part I:
Night. The hours between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight or such other period between sunset and sunrise, as may be prescribed by the appropriate authority. Note.— Civil twilight ends in the evening when the centre of the sun’s disc is 6 degrees below the horizon and begins in the morning when the centre of the sun’s disc is 6 degrees below the horizon.
And as for the all conquering, crystal clear, never to be misinterpreted Pommie definition,
CAP 393
“Night” means the time from half an hour after sunset until half an hour before sunrise (both times inclusive), sunset and sunrise being determined at surface level;
Sunrise and sunset, of course, aren't defined. Civil, nautical, astronomical? ICAO at least define it.
What's next? Angels on the head of a pin?