Bengaluru set to experience zero shadow day tomorrow: Here’s what it means

Residents of Bengaluru are in for a rare celestial spectacle as they prepare to witness ‘Zero Shadow Day’ on Wednesday. 

This phenomenon, occurring between 12:17 pm and 12:23 pm, will see the sun positioned directly overhead, causing objects to cast no shadows. Not limited to Bengaluru, other cities such as Kanyakumari, Bhopal, Hyderabad, and Mumbai are also expected to observe this event.

Mumbai: 15 May and 27 June (Local Noon: 12:34, 12:45)

Bhopal: 13 June and 28 June (Local Noon: 12:20, 12:23)

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)

Zero Shadow Day occurs when the sun reaches its zenith, making its angle perpendicular to the Earth’s surface. As a result, objects appear to have no shadows, a phenomenon typically observed in regions near the equator where the sun’s angle is nearly vertical.

ZERO SHADOW DAY: On 24/04/2024, the Sun will be directly over Bangalore (Zenith). This means at noon, 12:17PM there will be Zero Shadow. Make a Vertical reference such as a pole, at 12:17PM when the Sun is overhead there will be no shadow of the reference pole on the ground. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/l6GSojeCIl

— ASSOCIATION OF BANGALORE AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS(ABAA) (@abaaonline) April 23, 2024

The Earth’s orbit around the sun leads to varying positions of the sun in the sky, resulting in changes in shadow lengths throughout the year. Zero Shadow Day occurs twice annually in regions between latitudes +23.5 and -23.5 degrees.

In Bengaluru, the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) will host events at its Koramangala campus on April 24 to commemorate Zero Shadow Day. The public is invited to participate in activities from 10 AM to 1 PM, where they can observe and measure changing shadow lengths of objects, providing insights into the Earth’s tilt and orbit around the sun.