Bengaluru to witness Zero Shadow Day on April 24
Bengaluru residents are eagerly awaiting the unique astronomical event known as "Zero Shadow Day," scheduled to occur this year on April 24, Wednesday. This rare celestial occurrence, marked by a temporary absence of shadows, is expected to happen between 12:17 pm to 12:23 pm. Apart from Bengaluru, other cities like Kanyakumari, Bhopal, Hyderabad, and Mumbai are also likely to experience this phenomenon.
What is the 'Zero Shadow Day'?
Zero Shadow Day happens when the Sun is directly overhead, causing objects to cast no shadows. This phenomenon is mainly observed near the equator, where the Sun's rays strike the Earth almost perpendicularly. As the Earth revolves around the Sun, the latter's position changes, peaking at different latitudes throughout the year. This movement ranges from 23.5 degrees south to 23.5 degrees north of the equator annually.
Bengaluru experiences 'Zero Shadow Day' around April 24/25, August 18
Bengaluru, situated at approximately 13.0 degrees north latitude, experiences the Zero Shadow Day phenomenon around April 24/25 and August 18 each year. According to the Astronomical Society of India's website, "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." It's important to note that Zero Shadow events are not uniform across different global locations due to variations in geographical latitudes.
The Indian Institute of Astrophysics is organizing activities
To raise awareness about this captivating astronomical event, The Indian Institute of Astrophysics in Bengaluru has organized activities at its Koramangala campus. They are inviting students, teachers, and astronomy enthusiasts to participate in interactive activities between 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Participants can observe and measure the varying lengths of shadows cast by objects, providing valuable insights into the Earth's axial tilt and its orbit around the Sun.
'Zero Shadow Day' in other Indian cities
Hyderabad's Zero Shadow Day occurrences are set for May 9 and August 5 between 12:12 pm to 12:19 pm. Mumbai will experience this phenomenon on May 15 and June 27. Watch out for the same between 12:34 pm to 12:45 pm. On June 13 and 28, people in Bhopal can enjoy this event at 12:20 pm and 12:23 pm respectively. Kanyakumari will witness another Zero Shadow Day on September 1, following the occurrence on April 10 earlier this year.
