Mumbai witnesses Zero Shadow Day: What exactly is that
Residents in Mumbai were treated to a magical moment this Monday afternoon, as they witnessed the extraordinary Zero Shadow Day. In this rare celestial phenomenon, the sunlight cast no shadows. Excited locals couldn't resist sharing videos and photographs on social media of the magical moment. Everyone was amazed by this unique event and it got the mass talking about it.
It occurs due to unique sun-Earth alignment
This intriguing phenomenon takes place twice a year, when the sun aligns directly overhead, resulting in Zero Shadow Day. On these special days, the sun reaches its zenith in the sky, causing shadows to disappear from the Earth's surface. The way the sun is positioned makes shadows so short that they seem to vanish completely, becoming invisible to our eyes.
The Astronomical Society of India explains this phenomenon
"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," the Astronomical Society of India noted. They further add, "On these two days, the Sun will be exactly overhead at noon and will not cast a shadow of an object on the ground."
People couldn't resist capturing this rare phenomenon
The absence of shadows in the presence of sunlight left everyone in awe and sparked a wave of excitement among Mumbaikars. As a result, people couldn't resist capturing the moment and sharing their experiences on social media. Videos and images showing objects casting zero shadows flooded Twitter and Instagram feeds, as everyone was enchanted by this unique occurrence.
A Twitter user posted pictures of the phenomenon
Another user posted a video of the same
Science clubs conducted experiments using cylindrical objects
Pune witnessed this phenomenon a day earlier
Missed it? You can witness it again on July 28
Mumbaikars were excited to experience the first Zero Shadow Day, and they have another opportunity to witness this special phenomenon on July 28. Hyderabad had the privilege of seeing this extraordinary event on May 9, while Bengaluru had its turn earlier on April 25.
