Dubai: Saudi Arabia experienced a unique celestial event on Monday, with the sun aligning perfectly above the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque.
The rare phenomenon, which causes all shadows to disappear momentarily, was observed by hundreds of worshippers and broadcast live around the world.
The Jeddah Astronomy Society confirmed that the event occurred at precisely 12:27pm local time, coinciding with the noon prayer, making the shadow of the meridian zero and causing the shadow of the Kaaba itself to vanish.
The unique occurrence, according to the society, is due to the specific position of the Kaaba between the equator and the Tropic of Cancer, allowing such alignment during the sun’s apparent movement in the sky.
The event, which happens twice annually, was last observed on May 27 earlier this year and will not occur again until 2025.
