A rare astronomical phenomenon occurred in Makkah on Tuesday as the sun aligned directly over the Holy Kaaba. At exactly 12:18 PM local time, the sun reached its zenith, resulting in the total absence of shadows around the Kaaba. This occurrence on the day of Hajj is particularly significant, as it reportedly happens once every 33 years.The alignment was precise.
According to the Jeddah Astronomy Society, the sun reached a zenith angle of 89.94 degrees. This positioning allows people across the globe to identify the exact direction of the Qibla simply by facing the sun. For Muslims, this provides a traditional and highly accurate method for verifying the orientation of mosques and prayer spaces.
The phenomenon is part of the sun`s annual cycle between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. While it occurs twice a year, witnessing it during the Hajj season is an exceptional event.
The last time this alignment coincided with the day of Arafat was in 1993. Even in the age of modern technology, this ancient astronomical method remains a reliable standard for Qibla verification.
