Sun to be directly above Kaaba today, says Jeddah Astronomical Society

WEB DESK: The Sun will position itself directly above the Holy Kaaba in Makkah on Wednesday, causing the monument’s shadow to disappear for a brief period, the Jeddah Astronomical Society (JAS) has announced.

According to astronomical calculations, the celestial phenomenon will occur at 12:26:44pm local time in Saudi Arabia. In Pakistan, the alignment will be observed at 2:26:44pm Pakistan Standard Time (PST).

During the event, the Sun’s rays will fall completely vertical to the Grand Mosque, removing the shadows of the Kaaba and any other upright structures in the city of Makkah.

The JAS noted that this alignment offers a precise opportunity for Muslims across the globe, particularly in areas where the Sun is visible at the designated hour, to verify the exact direction of the Qibla without the aid of modern instruments. By observing the shadow cast by a straight vertical object, observers can trace the line of the Qibla, which lies in the direction directly opposite to the cast shadow.

A bi-annual historical occurrence

This alignment is not an unprecedented event but a recurring natural phenomenon. The Sun passes directly over the Kaaba twice every year due to Makkah’s geographical location, which lies at a latitude between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer.

The first alignment of the year typically occurs in late May, while the second takes place in mid-July. Historically, this natural cycle has served as a reliable astronomical method for determining the direction of prayer.

Documented records show that Islamic astronomers have utilised the Sun’s meridian transit over Makkah to calibrate the direction of the Qibla since at least the 13th century. Classical scholars and mathematicians, including Jaghmini and Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, formally recorded techniques using these solar shadows to establish precise geographical alignments for mosques constructed far from Makkah.