What is 30 minutes before sunrise called?
Quick Answer: Thirty minutes before sunrise is part of the astronomical dawn period, when the sky starts to lighten but the sun is still below the horizon.
Before the sun actually rises, there are several twilight phases. The one about 30 minutes prior usually falls within astronomical dawn. This is when the sun is between 18 and 12 degrees below the horizon, and the sky begins to brighten subtly.
This early light is not yet enough to see clearly without artificial light, but it marks the start of morning twilight. It’s a calm, quiet time often favored by early risers and photographers for the soft light.