The other day we were driving home from Weyburn just as the sun was setting. We noticed some deer in the ditches at two different spots along Highway #39. Deer are crepuscular animals.
Crepuscular means that they are most active at dawn and dusk. Also, many ungulates, such as bison and coyotes are crepuscular, whereas alligators are diurnal and nocturnal, in case you observe any of those reptiles, although highly unlikely in Saskatchewan.
Crepuscular comes from Latin “crepusculum” meaning the evening light just after sunset. It is derived from “creper,” dark or obscure. It is often difficult to see things in the twilight evening hours.
Driving as the light diminishes can make it tricky to see clearly, reducing depth perception, and peripheral vision. Low light conditions impede one's vision, and even more so if one wears corrective lenses. When driving at twilight, conditions make it even more challenging to see animals, pedestrians, cyclists, and even other vehicles.
One of the most important Jewish festivals occurred at the crepuscular time, as the sun set in the west and the colours danced in the twilight sky. The Bible records, “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the Lord’s Passover.” (Leviticus 23:5)
The Book of Exodus gives the instructions. “Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household. And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old.
"You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight. Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it.” (Exodus 12:3-8)
Crepuscular entered the English language in 1668 as an adjective meaning, of, relating to, or resembling twilight. In the 19th century it began to be used as a zoological term for those creatures that become more active after the sun sets. Such animals include bats, rabbits, bears, moose, barn owls, moths, beetles, and of course deer.
The autumnal equinox occurred on September 22. On the day of an equinox the daylight and nighttime hours are equal. Twilight began at 6:59 pm in Moose Jaw on the evening of Thursday, September 22nd. Just the day before, the sun was still shining after 7:00 pm, which it had since March 11th.
Interesting fact: in Japan the Fall Equinox is a national holiday. On September 23 the festival of Shubun-no-hi was celebrated. It is a day to respect deceased relatives and often entails a visit to family tombs. This has derived from an older Shinto tradition Shuki-korie-sai, thanksgiving for a successful harvest time.
The daylight hours are getting observably shorter and shorter, and this will continue until sunset occurs at 4:59 pm on December 19th. Then after the Winter Solstice the moment of twilight begins to lengthen. On December 20th the sun sets at 5:00 pm, and gets later until March 11th, and again, the sunset happens at 7:00 pm. Watch for it!
Over the next few days consider the crepuscular time. It is filled with wonderful colours in the skies on the prairies. The colourful palettes of twilight range from brilliant orange and blue to pinks and purples.
It is a beautiful time to gaze west (or east in the morning before sunrise) and marvel at the wonders of creation. Our backyard deck faces west, and we are amazed at the breathtaking crepuscular shades in the evening firmament.
Gaze westward at crepuscular hours and be astonished. It is a beauty to behold.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
