Sun Aligns Directly Over Kaaba in Rare Mecca Phenomenon During Dhuhr Call to Prayer

Mecca's sky witnessed a rare astronomical event on Thursday, May 28, 2026, as the sun passed directly over the Kaaba at precisely 12:18 PM local time. This celestial alignment coincided with the Dhuhr call to prayer, offering Muslims globally an accurate natural opportunity to determine and verify the direction of the Qibla.

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The sun reached its closest point to being perfectly perpendicular over the Kaaba, at an altitude of 89.94 degrees.

According to Majed Abu Zahra, Director of the Jeddah Astronomical Association, the sun reached its closest point to being perfectly perpendicular over the Kaaba, at an altitude of 89.94 degrees. This position was only 0.06 degrees, or about 3.6 arc minutes, from a perfect vertical alignment. During this precise moment, the Kaaba and all vertical objects in Mecca cast no shadows, as the sunlight hit the earth perpendicularly.

This natural phenomenon occurs twice annually as a result of the sun's apparent movement between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Mecca's geographical latitude of approximately 21.4 degrees North means the sun passes directly overhead twice a year: once in late May as it moves north, and again in mid-July as it returns south.

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This position was only 0.06 degrees, or about 3.6 arc minutes, from a perfect vertical alignment.

Historically, this method of navigation has been crucial for astronomical calculations and understanding Earth's movements. Medieval Muslim scholars utilized this phenomenon for centuries to calibrate the Qibla direction for mosques across continents, highlighting its significant scientific and educational value.

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During this precise moment, the Kaaba and all vertical objects in Mecca cast no shadows, as the sunlight hit the earth perpendicularly.