Mumbai, the bustling metropolis on India’s western coast, experienced a rare and awe-inspiring celestial event today as the sun’s position reached directly overhead, resulting in the absence of shadows. The phenomenon, which occurs twice a year, captivated Mumbaikars, who took to social media to share mesmerizing pictures of the shadowless day. The scientific explanation behind this remarkable occurrence lies in the Earth’s axial tilt. As most of us learned in school, the Earth’s rotation axis is inclined at an angle of 23.5 degrees to the plane of its revolution around the Sun. This tilt is responsible for the changing seasons we experience throughout the year. When the sun reaches its highest point in the sky during the day, it moves from 23.5 degrees south of the celestial equator to 23.5 degrees north (known as Uttarayan), and vice versa (known as Dakshinayan). The points where the sun crosses the equator are the equinoxes, while the northernmost and southernmost points mark the solstices.
In Mumbai, this remarkable phenomenon meant that at its peak, the sun was directly overhead, causing shadows to virtually disappear. This intriguing event has been observed in other Indian cities as well, such as Hyderabad and Bengaluru, where residents had the privilege of witnessing it earlier. To celebrate this celestial spectacle, the Birla Planetarium in Hyderabad organized a special event where experts provided insights and explanations about the phenomenon. Similarly, in Bengaluru, the event took place last month, allowing locals to marvel at the absence of shadows under the blazing sun. Such occurrences serve as a reminder of the wonders of our universe and prompt us to delve deeper into the intricate workings of our planet and its relationship with the celestial bodies.
As Mumbaikars marveled at the shadowless day, it offered a unique opportunity for reflection and appreciation of the natural phenomena that shape our lives. As the social media posts flooded in with captivating images of the sun shining brightly without casting a shadow, the city reveled in the magic of this rare phenomenon. Mumbai, along with other cities in India, stood witness to a celestial marvel that left residents in awe of the mysteries and beauty of the cosmos.