Hyderabad to witness Zero Shadow Day at 12:12 pm today

Hyderabad: Hyderabad will be witnessing a mesmerising astronomical phenomenon known as Zero Shadow Day at 12:12 pm on Tuesday. According to few researchers, this annual event marks the day when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky, causing the shadow of any vertical object to disappear. To experience this unique event, one must be in an open space where the sun is directly overhead. This means being in an area where there are no obstructions that would cast a shadow, such as tall buildings or trees.

At precisely 12:12 pm on Tuesday the shadow of any vertical object will disappear, giving you a rare opportunity to experience zero shadow. People need is a flat surface that is directly under the sun and a white paper fixed to it. Place a tall, opaque object, such as a PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) pipe or metal tumbler, vertically on the white paper around noon. Mark the object’s shadow on the paper and observe its position at five-minute intervals.

As you observe, you’ll see the shadow move, but at exactly 12:12 pm, the object’s shadow will disappear for a brief period. Keep observing the shadow’s position as it reappears, said few scientists of Birla Science Centre.

The phenomenon occurs twice a year, once in the northern hemisphere and once in the southern hemisphere, and is caused by the tilt of the earth’s axis. When the sun is directly overhead, it casts no shadow, making objects appear as if they are floating in mid-air.