Dubai: The intensity of the extreme summer heat in the UAE is expected to dwindle by mid-August although residents will witness a rise in humidity levels, said a leading Sharjah-based astrologer.
“The Suhail star marks the beginning of the end of summer, which will appear by August 24. It is typically accompanied with a high level of humidity and south-easterly winds,” explained Ibrahim Al Jarwan, member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences.
Suhail, also known as Lambda Velorum, is the second brightest star in the night sky, after Sirius from the constellation Canis Major. It is 27 million years old, and 310 light years away from Earth.
“The intensity of heat will break with the appearance of the Suhail star in the second half of next August,” said Al Jarwan, pointing out that the UAE’s current weather is considered to be the hottest period in the Arabian Peninsula.
The National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) on Sunday recorded the highest temperature in Al Jazeera of the Al Dhafra region at 48.7°C at 2.30 pm, with a maximum humidity range of 50 to 70 per cent.
However, while the rise of the Suhail star marks the end of the summer peak, the level of humidity will rise increase as temperatures will start to drop by a few degrees.
“At present, the UAE is going through the summer peak where mirages are formed, and this is the most severe and harmful period for plants and trees due to the intense heat of the earth and the atmosphere,” he added.
According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), stars do not have proper names, except for a limited number of bright stars that bear historic names. In the case of historic names, many were originally adapted from the Arabic language, reflecting the role of Arab culture in astronomy, such as Delta Corvi (known as Algorab, which is derived from the Arabic word al ghourab – the crow).
In 2016, the International Astronomical Union organised a Working Group on Star Names to catalogue and standardize proper names for stars, and approved the name Suhail for the star Lambda Velorum.
