Mumbai Witnesses 'Zero Shadow Day', Pics Go Viral

People in Mumbai witnessed a rare celestial phenomenon known as Zero Shadow Day this Monday afternoon. On this day, no shadows are formed due to sunlight. Several Mumbai residents posted videos and pictures on their social media handles when there was no shadow from sunlight.

Several Mumbai residents posted photos of 'Zero Shadow Day' where no shadow of the objects will be visible for a few minutes.

Zero Shadow Day is a phenomenon that occurs twice a year, where the Sun's position is directly overhead, casting no shadows on the Earth's surface.

See the post here:

Zero Shadow Day #ZSD in Mumbai. It's a phenomenon which occurs only twice a year. For Mumbai, the days are 15th May and 28th July. July is normally rainy hence 15th May is best for observation. pic.twitter.com/8rl20mC8vb

— जय भवानी जय शिवाजी 🇮🇳 (@MaheshGNaik) May 15, 2023

During Zero Shadow Day, the sun reaches its highest point in the sky resulting in the reduction of the length of the shadow. When we stand on this shadow, our own shadow becomes invisible, hence the term "Zero Shadow".

"For people living between +23.5 and -23.5 degrees latitude, the Sun's declination will be equal to their latitude twice - once during Uttarayan and once during Dakshinayan. On these two days, the Sun will be exactly overhead at noon and will not cast a shadow of an object on the ground," the Astronomical Society of India noted.

Explaining the phenomenon, astrophysicist Debiprosad Duari told PTI, "People and any object, all around the world, staying between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn lose their shadows, though momentarily, twice a year. These two moments are called zero shadow moments."

The actual phenomenon only lasts a fraction of a second, but its effect can be seen for up to a minute and a half.