What is the difference between last light and civil twilight?
Quick Answer: Last light is the moment when the sun disappears below the horizon, ending all natural light. Civil twilight is the period just after sunset (or before sunrise) when the sun is between 0° and 6° below the horizon, providing enough light for most outdoor activities without artificial lighting.
Civil twilight happens right after the sun sets but before it gets completely dark. During this time, the sky is still bright enough to see clearly outside without lamps or flashlights.
Last light marks the very end of that period. It’s when the sun sinks just below 6° under the horizon and the natural light fades away. After last light, it’s officially full night.
So, civil twilight is a phase, while last light is the exact moment when that phase ends and darkness takes over.