Definition
The period in the morning when the geometric center of the sun is between 6 degrees below the horizon and the actual horizon, ending at sunrise. During this period there is enough natural light to see the horizon and outdoor objects clearly without artificial illumination.
Plain English
The stretch of early-morning light just before sunrise, when it is bright enough to see the horizon and the ground around you, even though the sun has not yet come up.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of night operations, flight time logging, and FAA references that define when night begins or ends.
Derivation
Civil' comes from the Latin civilis, meaning 'relating to ordinary citizens or everyday life.' Civil twilight is the twilight period bright enough for ordinary outdoor activities, which is why the FAA chose it as a practical legal boundary for daylight operations.
Why Pilots Care
Determines when a flight may be logged and conducted as daytime VFR without night-flight currency or lighting requirements.
Analogy
Like the gradual brightening of a room as you slowly open heavy curtains before the sun itself is visible.
Grounding Statement
Picture the time just before sunrise when the horizon is visible and the sky is lighting up, but the sun itself has not appeared.
Intuition Check
Do not assume morning civil twilight means sunrise. It is the light period before sunrise, and its published beginning time is the key time for FAA night calculations that use civil twilight.
Example Sentence 1
He planned the departure for 15 minutes after the start of morning civil twilight so the flight would legally count as a day operation.
Example Sentence 2
Because takeoff occurred before the end of morning civil twilight, the flight was logged as night time.