Zero Shadow Day occurs when the sunis positioneddirectly overhead.
Bengaluru residents are in for a celestial treat. They will witness a rare phenomenon called 'Zero Shadow Day' on Wednesday. The event will occur between 12:17 pm and 12:23 pm when the sun's position will be exactly at the zenith, causing all the shadows to disappear. Apart from Bengaluru, people in places such as Kanyakumari, Bhopal, Hyderabad and Mumbai are also likely to witness the phenomenon.
What is Zero Shadow Day?
Zero Shadow Day occurs when the sun is positioned directly overhead, resulting in objects casting no shadows at noon. This phenomenon typically occurs in regions located near the equator, where the sun's angle is almost perpendicular to the Earth's surface. As a result, objects appear to have no shadow.
As the Earth orbits the sun, changing its position in the sky, reaching its zenith at different latitudes during different times of the year. This creates the seasons and also causes the sun to go from 23.5 degrees south of the equator to 23.5 degrees north, and back again, annually.
Zero Shadow Day occurs twice a year in locations between the latitudes of +23.5 and -23.5 degrees, according to the Astronomical Society of India.
Zero Shadow Day in Bengaluru
The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) in Bengaluru will host events on April 24 to mark Zero Shadow Day at its Koramangala campus. They have welcomed the public to join in on the activities starting from 10 AM to 1 PM. Participants can observe and measure changing shadow lengths of objects and gain insights into the Earth's tilt and orbit around the sun.
Zero Shadow Day in other cities
Kanyakumari: 10 April and 01 September (Local Noon: 12:21, 12:22)
Bengaluru: 24 April and 18 August (Local Noon: 12:17, 12:25)
Hyderabad: 09 May and 05 August (Local Noon: 12:12, 12:19)
Mumbai: 15 May and 27 June (Local Noon: 12:34, 12:45)
Bhopal: 13 June and 28 June (Local Noon: 12:20, 12:23)