For the first time in 33 years, the sun is directly overhead the Kaaba, casting no shadow, on the Day of Arafah.

A rare astronomical coincidence is occurring this year for the first time in 33 years, as the sun's perpendicularity over the Holy Kaaba and the absence of its shadow at noon coincide with the Day of Arafah.

The phenomenon of the sun being directly overhead the Holy Kaaba occurs twice a year during the apparent movement of the sun between the equator and the Tropic of Cancer, in late May and mid-July, due to the geographical location of Mecca at latitude 21.4 north.

At the moment of perpendicularity, the sun reaches its highest point in the sky at an angle of approximately 90 degrees at the time of the noon prayer, which leads to the complete disappearance of the shadow of the Holy Kaaba, as well as the shadows of standing objects in Mecca.

This phenomenon is a precise natural means of determining the direction of the Qibla from different regions of the world where the sun is visible during the moment of perpendicularity, as the direct direction of the sun is exactly towards the Holy Kaaba, while the extension of the shadows indicates the opposite direction of the Qibla.

The first alignment usually occurs on May 27 or 28 at 12:18 PM Mecca time, while the second alignment occurs on July 15 or 16 at 12:27 PM.