* Multiple Phases: The eruption wasn't a single, instantaneous event. It lasted for several days, with different phases of activity (initial bursts, the Plinian column, pyroclastic flows, etc.).
* Ancient Records: While there are accounts of the eruption from the time, they don't give specific times. They describe the events in terms of what happened during the day or night, not precise hours.
* Dating Evidence: Modern research relies on analyzing the layers of ash and pumice, and on carbon dating organic materials found at the site. This gives us a general timeline, but not an exact time of eruption.
What We Do Know:
* The eruption likely began in the morning hours, perhaps around 6:00 AM or 7:00 AM, based on the position of the sun and the state of decomposition of bodies found at Pompeii.
* The most destructive phase, the Plinian column and pyroclastic flows, happened several hours later, likely in the afternoon.
To summarize: While we don't have an exact time, the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD likely began in the morning and lasted for several hours, reaching its peak intensity in the afternoon.
