The holy city will witness on Friday a rare astronomical phenomenon where the sun will be exactly perpendicular above the Kaaba, i.e. the sun will rise by 90 degrees vertically above the House of God. The shadows will disappear for a slight period. This event will allow people to define the exact direction of the prayer’s direction meticulously, reported Al Arabiya website.

Moulhem bin Mohammed Hindi, astronomy researcher in the Astronomy and Space Sciences department at the King Abdulaziz University, said that the sun passes over the Kaaba twice a year; this year it will perpendicular above it on May 27 and July 15.

This event will coincide with the Friday Jumuah prayer at the Grand Mosque.

Hindi said: “This cosmic phenomenon enables people watching the sun at that exact moment, to determine the precise direction of the Kaaba through the simplest and easiest way. People should look at the sun and thus, they shall be 100 percent heading to the direction of the Qibla.”