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Arab News
5 hours ago
- Science
- Arab News
Look up: Delta Aquariid meteor shower peaks over Saudi Arabia
RIYADH: Stargazers across Saudi Arabia and the wider region are in for a celestial treat in the early hours of Wednesday, July 30, as the annual Delta Aquariid meteor shower reaches its peak. According to the Saudi Press Agency, weather and moon conditions are expected to offer ideal viewing, especially in areas away from city lights. Majed Abu Zahra, head of the Jeddah Astronomical Society, said the best time to observe the meteor shower will be after 3 a.m. local time, when the radiant point in the constellation Aquarius climbs higher in the southern sky. The early setting of the moon will also ensure darker skies for stargazing. Observers can expect approximately 18 meteors per hour during peak activity, potentially reaching 25 under ideal conditions. Abu Zahra noted that these fast-moving meteors often produce bright trails and occasional fireballs. While visible in both hemispheres, the Delta Aquariids are best seen from the tropics and and southern lattitudes, where the radiant point sits higher above the horizon. Abu Zahra noted that no special equipment is needed, just a clear, dark sky, as well as allowing 20 minutes for eyes to adapt to darkness and committing at least one full hour to observation for optimal results. The Delta Aquariid shower occurs annually between July 12 and Aug. 23 as Earth passes through debris left by Comet 96P/Machholz. Dust particles ignite upon entering the atmosphere at 41 kilometers per second, vaporizing at altitudes of 70-100 kilometers to create luminous streaks. Although the peak occurs early on Wednesday, the meteor activity will continue into early August and gradually blend with the more intense Perseid meteor shower, which peaks mid-August.
Gulf Insider
15-07-2025
- Science
- Gulf Insider
Sun Aligns Directly Over Kaaba In Rare Celestial Event, Offering Muslims Precise Qibla Direction
In a rare and striking celestial event, the sun aligned directly over the Holy Kaaba in Mecca on Tuesday, allowing Muslims around the world to determine the Qibla — the direction of prayer — with remarkable accuracy. At the moment of alignment, the sun stood precisely above the Kaaba, causing shadows to vanish completely in its immediate vicinity. 'The sky over Mecca witnessed the sun directly aligning with the Kaaba, causing shadows to disappear completely. The Qibla can be precisely determined from any location where the sun can be seen,' the Jeddah Astronomy Society said in a statement. The phenomenon occurs as the sun travels southward from the Tropic of Cancer and crosses Mecca's latitude at approximately 21.4 degrees North. Known as a Solar Zenith, the event typically occurs twice a year, around late May and mid-July, due to the Earth's axial tilt of 23.5 degrees. Majed Abu Zahra, President of the Jeddah Astronomy Society, noted that the zenith coincides with the Dhuhr prayer in Mecca, imbuing the event with both scientific and spiritual significance. For a moment, sunlight descends vertically upon the Kaaba, creating a powerful and symbolic alignment. Beyond its visual impact, the event provides a traditional means for Muslims worldwide to verify the Qibla without the use of modern tools. At the precise time of the solar zenith, those able to see the sun can simply face it to align their prayers toward Mecca with exceptional precision. Astronomers also view the alignment as a valuable opportunity to observe atmospheric refraction near the zenith point, yielding insights into how light behaves at steep angles. Such observations help refine our understanding of solar positioning and atmospheric conditions.
Leaders
06-07-2025
- Science
- Leaders
Earth to Experience Shortest Days in July, August 2025, Says Jeddah Astronomy Society
According to the Jeddah Astronomy Society, Earth is expected to experience some of its shortest days on record in July and August 2025, due to a slight increase in the planet's rotation speed. While this change is imperceptible in everyday life, it holds importance for technologies such as satellite navigation (GPS), communications systems, and astronomical observations. Eng. Majed Abu Zahra, President of the Society, highlighted predictions from the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS), which indicate that three of the shortest days in modern history will occur on July 9 (1.30 milliseconds shorter), July 22 (1.38 milliseconds shorter), and August 5 (1.51 milliseconds shorter) in 2025. Earth typically completes one full rotation every 24 hours, or 86,400 seconds. Since 2020, atomic clocks—highly accurate timekeeping devices—have detected subtle reductions in day length. The shortest day recorded so far was June 29, 2022, which was 1.59 milliseconds shorter than the average. Abu Zahra explained that these measurements are made by comparing data from atomic clocks with various time standards, enabling scientists to monitor tiny fluctuations in Earth's rotational speed. Potential causes for the acceleration include shifts in Earth's liquid core, redistribution of mass due to melting polar ice, rising sea levels, major earthquakes, and gravitational interactions with the Moon. Related Topics : Jeddah Astronomy: Saturn's Opposition to Sun Today The last giant full moon of 2022 to appear in the sky today Saudi Arabia & Arab world witness a rare astronomical phenomenon Hajj 2025: Registration for Pilgrims Housing in Madinah Commences on Sunday Short link : Post Views: 24
Saudi Gazette
21-06-2025
- Science
- Saudi Gazette
Summer season begins astronomically on Saturday
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — The skies over Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere witnessed the summer solstice at 5:42 AM Makkah time on Saturday, June 21. At this moment, the sun came directly overhead above the Tropic of Cancer (latitude 23.5° N), marking the beginning of astronomical summer. This year, the astronomical summer will last 93 days, 15 hours, and 37 minutes. The Jeddah Astronomical Society President Eng. Majed Abu Zahra said that on this day, the sun rises from the far northeast and sets in the far northwest. At noon, the shadows of objects are the shortest of the year, and the sun's apparent path takes its highest arc northward, placing it at its highest altitude in the sky of the year, especially in areas north of the equator. Abu Zahra pointed out that it is important to differentiate between astronomical summer and climatic summer. Meteorologists consider summer to extend from June 1 to August 31, while in astronomy, summer begins when the sun reaches its maximum altitude, i.e., the day of the summer solstice. Although this day is the longest day of the year in terms of the number of hours of sunlight, it is not necessarily the hottest. This is because the oceans, land and atmosphere take time to absorb and store solar energy, then re-emit it. This delay in feeling the heat is known as the 'seasonal lag', and temperatures usually peak in July or August. Abu Zahra said that the summer solstice occurs when the sun reaches its apparent northernmost point in the sky. This coincides with the Earth reaching a position in its orbit where its axis is tilted at the maximum angle (23.5 degrees) toward the sun, causing the longest day and shortest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, while the situation is completely reversed in the Southern Hemisphere. "The summer solstice does not occur on the same day every year, but rather between June 20 and 22. This is due to the difference between the calendar year (365 days) and the tropical year (365.2422 days), along with the gravitational effects of the moon and planets, and the slight fluctuations in the Earth's rotation, which are compensated for by adding a leap day every four years," he said.
Arab News
20-06-2025
- Science
- Arab News
Solstice ushers in start of summer 2025 on Saturday
RIYADH: The summer solstice, which marks the season's astronomical beginning, will take place on Saturday, June 21, according to the Jeddah Astronomical Society. The Kingdom will witness the solstice at 5.42 a.m. Makkah time, when the sun will be directly overhead above the Tropic of Cancer, latitude . The skies of the Kingdom and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere will witness the summer solstice Saturday at 5:42 am Makkah time. At this moment, the sun will be directly overhead above the Tropic of Cancer, latitude 23.5 degrees north. This year, the summer will last for 93 days. Majed Abu Zahra, head of the Jeddah Astronomical Society, said: 'On this day, the sun rises from the far northeast and sets in the far northwest. At noon, the shadows of objects are the shortest of the year, and the sun's apparent path takes its highest arc northward, placing it at its highest altitude in the sky during the year, especially in areas north of the equator.' The summer solstice occurs when the sun reaches its apparent northernmost point in the sky. This coincides with the Earth reaching a position in its orbit where its axis is tilted at the maximum angle (23.5 degrees) toward the sun, causing the longest day and shortest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, the situation is reversed. Abu Zahra added: 'The summer solstice does not occur on the same day every year, but rather between June 20 and 22, due to the difference between the calendar year (365 days) and the tropical year (365.2422 days), along with the gravitational effects of the moon and planets and the slight fluctuations in the Earth's rotation, which are compensated for by adding a leap day every four years.' He said it was important to differentiate between the astronomical summer and climatic summer. Meteorologists consider summer to extend from June 1 to August 31, while in astronomy, summer begins when the sun reaches its maximum altitude — the day of the summer solstice. Abu Zahra said although this was the longest day of the year in terms of the number of hours of sunlight, it was not necessarily the hottest. This is because the oceans, land and atmosphere take time to absorb and store solar energy, and then release it again. This delay in the perception of heat is known as 'seasonal lag,' so temperatures typically peak in July or August. Ancient Greek scholars, led by Eratosthenes, used their observations on the summer solstice to calculate the Earth's circumference with amazing accuracy using simple geometric principles. After the summer solstice, the sun will appear to move southward again in the sky, and daylight hours will gradually decrease until the autumnal equinox on Sept. 22.
