A rare astronomical alignment is expected to coincide with the Day of Arafat this year, as the sun is set to position itself directly above the Holy Kaaba in the holy city of Makkah, a phenomenon that occurs only once every 33 years, according to astronomers.

According to a report in Gulf News, the event is expected to take place at noon on May 27, 2026, corresponding to the ninth day of Zul Hijjah 1447H, when the sun will be directly over the Holy Kaaba, briefly causing shadows in Makkah to disappear completely at the moment of alignment.

Astronomers note that this solar positioning occurs twice annually due to Makkah’s location near latitude 21.4° north, as the sun’s apparent path shifts between the equator and the Tropic of Cancer.

What makes this year’s occurrence unusual is its coincidence with the Day of Arafat, an overlap last seen in 1993.

Experts say the timing results from the difference between the lunar Hijri calendar and the solar Gregorian calendar, which realigns roughly every 33 years.

Saudi Arabia’s National Centre for Meteorology (NCM) has stressed that the phenomenon is a natural and recurring astronomical event and does not necessarily indicate extreme weather conditions or unusual temperature spikes.