Dawn (from an Old English verb dagian "to become day") is the time that marks the beginning of the twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the presence of weak sunlight, while the Sun itself is still below the horizon. Dawn should not be confused with sunrise, which is the moment when the leading edge of the Sun itself appears above the horizon.During dawn (and dusk) it is usually possible (provided that the sky is cloud-free) to see approximately in which direction the Sun lies, though it is below the horizon.