Perhaps we have the innate sense that is highly developed in animals and ready to develop should we need it to survive. Maybe. I am no scientist, biologist or whatever.
Because of direction. That is how. You may be disorientated and have an obstacle, but you still have the light from the sun and that sun moves the same way still, since you didn't change this part of the equation.
So without orientation would just be impossible. We exist in space. We have a foothold on a point in space that is physical. A spot so to speak. Once we exist on this planet, we are physically orientated at least to a spot on the earth. So, we exist and we are planted in one spot. We could tell sunrise from sunset by the direction the light fell on us throughout the day and evening.
Yes I live fare enough north to see if it is sinking down in the west or rising up in the east The sun comes down at an angle you see and it shows in the sky-glare.
Indeed, but you're using orientation as a guide. What I was trying to say was, say, by looking at two pictures, one of a sunset and one of a sunrise, without knowing locations or anything else to clue you. I for one cannot tell the difference.
And I probably can't either. Thing is there are lots of other things that affect it. One of those is big cities. Cities pollute and give you a LOT of extra red glare if you are watching the sun set/rise from somewhere behind the city (unless it is a very windy day).
Uh, ... A sunrise is when the world gets brighter, and a sunset is when the world gets darker. Other differences depend on where you are. Around here, the morning sky forms layers of pastel colors, mostly pink and blue, while sunsets present riotous colors, mostly red and yellow, projected on clouds.
I never heard of "gorgeous sunrises". Gorgeous sunsets are so common that photo exhibitions ban them.
Sunrise is the coolest and most humid part of the day. In the climate where I live yes, it just feels very different when the sun comes up than when it goes down. I can't say about other locations and climates.
Here is a vaguely related and much more common scene:
This is the famous Superstition Mountain near Phoenix, AZ. In the desert. Looking north. (You can see the shadows on the ground.) Somehow there is a tropical sunset behind the mountain. Postcard makers really want to sell pretty pictures, irregardless.
JakobA the unAmerican. 