Unusual Celestial Phenomenon: Bengaluru all set to witness Zero Shadow Day on August 18

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Bengaluru, known for its technological prowess, is gearing up for a unique celestial event – Zero Shadow Day – which is set to occur for the second time this year on August 18. This captivating occurrence, happening at 12:24 PM, will result in an intriguing phenomenon: pedestrians strolling along the city's streets will struggle to discern their own shadows. During this time, stationary objects like people or poles will cast no shadows on the ground, unless, of course, they decide to leap.

Zero Shadow Day occurs twice annually and is confined to locations situated between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, within the latitude range of 23.5 to -23.5 degrees. In 2023, this phenomenon already transpired on April 18 at precisely 12:17 PM. Hyderabad experienced this event on August 3 at 12:23 PM, as well as on May 9 of the same year.

Experts from the Astronomical Society of India clarify that due to Earth's inclination at an angle of 23.5 degrees to the plane of its orbit around the Sun, the Sun is never exactly overhead, leading it to maintain a slightly lower altitude either north or south. This is why we experience different seasons. To grasp this phenomenon, envision a gigantic dome in the sky with its zenith at the peak.

Under normal circumstances, when observing your shadow, it typically appears elongated on the ground. However, during this specific period, when the shadow aligns perfectly beneath you, these outlines remain absent on the ground. This remarkable moment coincides with the sun reaching the zenith, its highest point of revolution.

Regrettably, Zero Shadow Days are infrequent, occurring only twice a year. These are the days when your shadow becomes nearly invisible in the sunlight. The