Sun to Align Directly over Holy Kaaba Tomorrow

   Jeddah, July 14, 2026, SPA -- The Holy Kaaba will witness the biannual phenomenon of the sun aligning directly overhead tomorrow, as its rays fall vertically on the Holy Kaaba at local solar noon at exactly 12:26:44 PM Makkah time.
   Jeddah Astronomy Society Director Majed Abu Zahra said the phenomenon occurs twice each year when the sun reaches the latitude of Makkah and stands 90 degrees above the horizon. It is regarded as one of the most accurate astronomical methods for verifying the direction of the qibla in locations where the sun is visible, as the sun's position points directly toward the Kaaba, while the shadow of any vertical object points in the opposite direction.
   He added that the phenomenon can be observed by placing a straight vertical object on a level surface shortly before the alignment and then noting the direction of the sun or the shadow at the exact moment of alignment. He said its importance is more prominent in locations far from Makkah, while in nearby cities such as Jeddah, it can be used to confirm the accuracy of the qibla direction.
   Abu Zahra emphasized that the sun's alignment over the Kaaba is a natural astronomical phenomenon resulting from the apparent position of the sun coinciding with the latitude of Makkah and represents one of the most precise practical applications of astronomical calculations for determining the qibla direction.
   -- SPA