Refraction in the atmosphere

[flano]

Is it true that refraction of light entering the atmosphere gives us 5 -10 minutes extra of sunlight because the sun appears higher in the sky than it is?

cheers

[Peter Pedant]

Yeah I was told that too, in my physics course in 1965 -but that doesnt make it true.....

 

PP

[kempie]

The 'apparent' setting sun is over one sun diameter higher than it's actual position.

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/atmos/redsun.html 

I do not know how many minutes of time that equates to.

[gen2]

It takes approximately 2 minutes for the apparent position of the sun to move one sun's diameter.

That means that near the equator, where the sun sets going vertically downwards the day is only 2 minutes longer at each end of the day.  At more polar latitudes, the setting sun is almost horizontal and the extension of daylight will be very much greater. There will be some places where the sun may never set, but would have if there had been no atmosphere.

[flano]

gen2 where would that be the place where it never sets?

Not the british empire i presume