Eid Al Adha to coincide with rare rising of Thuraya star cluster

Abu Dhabi: The first day of Eid Al Adha this year is expected to coincide with the rising of the “Thuraya” star cluster, a rare astronomical and cultural alignment that has historically signalled the arrival of intense summer heat and seasonal change across the UAE and the wider Gulf region.

The phenomenon has attracted attention among astronomy enthusiasts, heritage researchers and weather observers in the UAE, particularly because it also coincides this year with the annual alignment of the sun directly above the Kaaba in Mecca. 

According to a report by Emarat Al Youm, the overlap between the religious occasion and the traditional astronomical marker is regarded as one of the notable celestial moments associated with Gulf heritage.

Known internationally as the Pleiades cluster, Thuraya has long held deep significance in Emirati and Arab culture, where communities historically relied on stars to track seasons, forecast weather patterns and guide travel across the desert and sea long before modern forecasting systems existed.

Researchers specialising in Gulf heritage say the appearance of Thuraya was traditionally viewed as the true beginning of the summer “qayz” season, marking the gradual intensification of heat and humidity, particularly in coastal regions.

The timing of Thuraya’s rise this year also coincides with the phenomenon of the sun aligning directly above the Kaaba around midday on May 27, causing shadows to disappear momentarily inside Mecca.

For centuries, Muslims across the world have used this alignment to determine the direction of the Qibla with exceptional precision by observing the direction of shadows at the exact moment of alignment.

A heritage enthusiast identified as Abu Mohammed told Emarat Al Youm that residents in the UAE can still use the phenomenon today by placing an upright object under the sun at noon and observing the shadow to identify the direction of prayer, a technique once commonly used by sailors, travellers and desert communities before the introduction of compasses and satellite navigation.

Thuraya itself appears as a tightly grouped cluster of bright stars that many observers initially mistake for a single star. In Emirati maritime heritage, it was closely associated with pearl diving seasons, fishing expeditions and long-distance sea travel, with sailors using it as a navigational reference and indicator of seasonal wind shifts.

Meteorology specialists cited by the newspaper said the arrival of Thuraya this year also coincides with expectations of a relatively hotter summer season, following unusually early temperature increases recorded across the UAE during May, in addition to rising humidity levels during nighttime hours in some coastal regions.

The period is also traditionally linked to the appearance of early date harvests, particularly the “Naghal” variety, which many Emiratis regard as one of the earliest signs of the summer harvest season and a symbolic marker of the changing weather.