UAE enters Suhail season, but fog keeps famous star out of sight

Abu Dhabi: The UAE entered the traditional Suhail season on Monday, August 24, a date that changes little from year to year and has for generations been associated across the Arabian Peninsula with the gradual retreat of peak summer heat and the approach of milder weather.

But Suhail itself has yet to be seen with the naked eye in the UAE, with fog and prevailing weather conditions obscuring the star close to the south-eastern horizon before sunrise.

Ibrahim Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Emirates Astronomy Society and a member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences, said the gradual decline in temperatures typically began after August 20, although hot conditions generally persist until the end of September, accompanied by high humidity and periods of morning fog.

The appearance of Suhail, known internationally as Canopus, has long served as an important seasonal marker for communities across the Arabian Peninsula. Its arrival traditionally signals the beginning of the easing of the most intense summer heat rather than an immediate change to cooler conditions.

Signs of the changing season

Al Jarwan said traditional signs associated with the period include cooler water and ground temperatures around dawn, soil retaining moisture until morning after being watered the previous evening, and camels requiring less water.

Other signs include samr trees beginning to turn green from their southern sides and the arrival of certain seabirds, including the sallal bird.

The appearance of Suhail also marks the beginning of the first 10 days of Al Safri under the traditional Al Drour calendar, part of a long-established system used in the region to track seasonal and climatic changes.

Farmers traditionally begin preparing for the coming agricultural season during this period with the gradual moderation of temperatures, while livestock owners trim sheep hooves, an important practice for maintaining the animals’ health.

Fish also begin moving closer to the coast when sea temperatures start to decline, Al Jarwan said.

The period marks the beginning of Al Safri, traditionally regarded by Arabs as the first of the changing seasons, bringing anticipation of milder conditions and beneficial rainfall.

Visible about 40 minutes before sunrise

Al Jarwan said Suhail is the second-brightest star in the night sky after Sirius and begins appearing above the south-eastern horizon around dawn from August 24 in central parts of the Arabian Peninsula.

Under favourable viewing conditions, the star can be spotted about 40 minutes before sunrise, low on the south-eastern horizon.

Its late-August return follows an absence of about three and a half months after it disappeared below the south-western horizon in the evening sky around the beginning of May.

Because Suhail lies far south in the sky, it is difficult or impossible to see from many areas of the Northern Hemisphere above roughly 38 degrees north latitude. Across the Arabian Peninsula, however, it can be observed, appearing first in southern areas before becoming visible farther north.

Its annual return became one of the region’s most important astronomical markers long before modern meteorological forecasting, helping communities track seasonal changes affecting farming, fishing and livestock.

Light left the star 310 years ago

Scientifically, Suhail is the Arabic name commonly used for Canopus, or Alpha Carinae, a star in the constellation Carina.

It lies about 310 light-years from Earth, meaning the light reaching observers in the UAE today began its journey roughly 310 years ago.