A super rare astronomical event is set to happen on one of the holiest days of the Islamic year, this year, the sun will be above Kaaba in Makkah on the day of Arafat.
The astronomical phenomenon will take place at 12:00 Noon on May 27, 2026 (9th Dhul Hijjah 1447 AH).
When the sun comes into line with the Kaaba, the sun will be straight overhead in Makkah for a split second and the shadows will vanish.
The event is significant because it will be happening on the day of Arafat, the two events are rarely seen together, this happens once every 33 years, since the last time was 1993.
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Because of the latitude at which Makkah is located, near 21.4 degrees latitude north, the sun crosses directly over the Kaaba twice a year, astronomers say.
These are annual alignments of when the Earth moves around the sun from the equator to the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer.
This, however, is uncommon, as the Islamic Hijri calendar is lunar in nature, whereas the Gregorian calendar is solar, thus the two calendars do not always align.
Because the lunar year is about 11 days shorter, the Islamic dates require about 33 years to match the same solar dates.
The National Center for Meteorology in Saudi Arabia said the event is completely natural and periodic, noting that it does not necessarily result in abnormal rises in temperatures.
The event is mostly of astronomical and religious nature and not related to extreme weather, reports Ajel newspaper.
Also read: Saudi Arabia warns of severe heatwave during Hajj season
