Worshippers witness sun's alignment with Kaaba

The sun rises directly at Ka’bah in  Makkah at noon Friday, providing residents and visitors a rare glimpse of the rare cosmic phenomenon that happens only twice a year. SPA

MAKKAH, May 29 — The shadows disappeared for a while at the Holy Kaaba at noon Friday as the sun moved exactly perpendicular above it, giving worshippers a glimpse of the rare phenomenon that happens only twice each year.

The Grand Mosque was full of worshippers as the astronomical event happened at noon, just before the start to Dhuhr or noon prayer. Many of the worshippers were foreigners performing Umrah pilgrimage.

Astronomy researcher Moulhem bin Mohammed Hindi of the King Abdulaziz University earlier aid the “cosmic phenomenon enables people watching the sun at that exact moment, to determine the precise direction of the Kaaba through the simplest and easiest way. People should look at the sun and thus, they shall be 100 percent heading to the direction of the Qibla.”

He said the sun passes over the Kaaba twice a year. For this year, the phenomenon was calculated to occur on May 27 and July 15.

Arab News