The earth rotates 360 degree in a day. That means that each degree
takes 4 minutes. Why is it then that it takes more than 44 minutes,
for example, for the sun to be 11 degrees below the horizon?

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Request for Question Clarification by omnivorous-ga on 02 Jun 2004 10:43 PDT

Harryz --

The sun doesn't move perpendicular to the horizon except at the Equator:
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=299644

Does that Google Answer answer your question?

Best regards,

Omnivorous-GA

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Clarification of Question by harryz-ga on 02 Jun 2004 13:24 PDT

Does that mean that at the equator, when the sun sets, every four
minutes the sun would be one degree below the horizon but that it
would vary at other places. Are there any other variables that have an
effect on the relationship between the degress and minutes below the
equator.

> Does that mean that at the equator, when the sun sets, every four
> minutes the sun would be one degree below the horizon but that it
> would vary at other places. Are there any other variables that have an
> effect on the relationship between the degress and minutes below the
> equator.<

Your assumption is correct.  Of course the amount varies anywhere N or
S of the Equator depending on the angle of the earth to the sun -- and
that changes every day.

Best regards,

Omnivorous-GA

Some things to keep in mind.  

A day is not 24 hours as commonly assumed.  
The time it takes for the Earth to make one rotation is 23H56M.  

Also, the Earth is tilted on its axis 23.5 degrees.  That angle never changes.  

Kevin