The moon is perpendicular to the Holy Kaaba on Wednesday for the second time this year

Arab Weather - Sinan Khalaf - The sky of Makkah Al-Mukarramah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is witnessing a distinctive phenomenon, which is the moon's perpendicularity to the Holy Kaaba next Wednesday, March 24, 2021, corresponding to Shaban 11, 1442 AH.

According to the Astronomical Society in Jeddah, the sky of Makkah Al-Mukarramah, on the evening of Wednesday, March 24, 2021, will witness the perpendicularity of the moon to the Holy Kaaba, which is the second perpendicular to the Holy Kaaba this year, in the phenomenon of seeing with the naked eye.

The moon is perpendicular to the Holy Kaaba for the second time this year

The phenomenon of the moon’s perpendicularity to the Holy Ka’aba occurs when the moon’s tilt reaches the width of Mecca, and is at its midpoint on its meridian, unlike the rest of the celestial bodies, as the movement of the moon is very fast and variable from one moment to the next, as it cuts to the movement of its tilt, on average, approximately 6 degrees within 24 An hour, in addition to the fact that the number of times the moon passes perpendicular to the Holy Kaaba is small compared to the number of 12 times it revolves around the Earth in a year.

The moon will rise in the horizon of Makkah at 02:18 in the afternoon, and continue its movement until its inclination reaches the width of Mecca and its average "perpendicular" meridian at 09:10 pm, and it will be at an altitude of (89.9 degrees) and a pinch of illuminated by (79.9%) at The growing humpback developed at a distance of 381,811 km.

During the moon’s passage perpendicular to the Holy Kaaba, it will remain visible in the sky of Mecca until it sets at 03:59 in the morning.

According to the Astronomical Society, the phenomenon of the moon’s perpendicularity to the Holy Kaaba illustrates the accuracy of calculations of the movement of celestial bodies, including the moon, which makes its location very accurate. In addition, this astronomical phenomenon can determine the direction of the qiblah.

The role of the moon’s perpendicularity to the Holy Kaaba in determining the direction of the Qiblah

The method of using the phenomenon of the perpendicularity of the moon to the Kaaba in determining the direction of the qiblah is done through the person’s direction to the moon, and making it completely in front of his beholder, then he will be facing the qiblah exactly, and this experiment is suitable for any region in the world where the moon is seen at that moment, but it is not useful for areas near Mecca such as Jeddah, Taif, Asfan, and all areas beyond one degree from Makkah Al-Mukarramah.

The moon’s perpendicularity to the Holy Kaaba occurred on January 29, in the month of Jumada al-Akhir, when it was in the phase of the full moon.