Rochester, Minnesota: Civil Sunrise on Tuesday, June 11, 2024.

Photo Caption:
June 11, 2024 — Civil sunrise photographed at 5:13 AM; actual sunrise at 5:27 AM CDT.

Tuesday, June 11, 2024 (CDT)
Sunrise in Rochester, Minnesota
Photo: © Lisa Loucks-Christenson. All Rights Reserved.
By Lisa Loucks-Christenson, Publisher — Rochester, Minnesota (Rochester Sun Times News)

I recently learned that the period preceding sunrise or sunset, commonly known as “civil sunrise,” typically occurs within a 30- to 40-minute window. Today, I had the incredible opportunity to capture not only the civil sunrise but also the sunrise itself. Both moments painted a breathtaking, ever-changing scene that left me in awe.

As a journalist, this experience deeply moved me. I found myself wondering how the other creatures sharing this moment perceived it. Some seemed to anticipate the sun’s appearance, eager to bask in its first rays. Reflecting on the scene, I realized that even amid the world’s turmoil, dawn breaks each day with radiant light—known to some as twilight or civil sunrise—infusing energy and life into the world’s teeming creatures.

As the morning sun rose higher, its golden glow illuminated the landscape, filling all living beings—animals, birds, people, and visitors alike, whether arriving or departing—with a renewed sense of joy and warmth. Greetings from Rochester, Minnesota, where the day is just beginning.

Lisa Loucks-Christenson provides assignment and stock images, illustrations, syndicated comics, and columns to a variety of publications, including magazines, newspapers, and digital media outlets.
Her collaborations include Disney, Veterinarian Learning Systems, HarperCollins, Woman’s World, Travel World International, Esquire, and Penguin Random House–Heinemann, among many others.

Lisa founded the Rochester Sun Times News to preserve local stories. This platform is free of generic advertising, featuring only relevant business sponsors connected to current stories and Lisa’s creative work. She self-funded the project to showcase her interviews, photography, and art.

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