Hyderabad To Experience Zero Shadow Day Today: What Is It?
The celestial event occurs twice every year, where shadows (almost) disappear despite the sunny atmosphere
By : DC Web Desk
Update: 2025-05-09 10:32 GMT
Hyderabad: In a good news for all the astrophiles, the city today (Friday) would experience a rare astronomical event -- the zero shadow day.
The celestial event occurs twice every year, where shadows (almost) disappear despite the sunny atmosphere. At 12:12 PM today, the city experienced no shadows, and people could also observe the phenomenon on Saturday.
The rare event takes place due the sun’s position being directly overhead allowing its rays to fall vertically upright cancelling the shadow effect on the object. This occurrence happens as a result of the earth’s axial tilt and the sun’s visible motion across the sky.
The Sun is almost never exactly overhead at noon, the zero shadow day happens twice a year between +23.5 and -23.5 degrees altitude.
To understand how this phenomenon works, using a top, spin it and it will remain upright, as it slows notice how it starts to wobble, the axis of spin not only tilts, but goes in a slow circle, called precession, which is exactly what happens to the earth when the zero shadow takes place.
If the sky is clear and the sun is not obstructed by the clouds one can place a vertical object on a leveled ground and see the shadow of the object.
The phenomenon is not limited to Hyderabad, it occurs throughout country at different times. Bengaluru has also seen the Zero Shadow Day in April.
The story is authored by Sherin MJ as part of internship program with Deccan Chronicle.