Zero shadow to hit Bengaluru on April 24

At exactly 12.17 PM on Thursday, April 24, 2025,when the sun is directly overhead, Bengaluru will experience the ‘zero shadow’ phenomenon, according to scientists at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru. Niruj Mohan Ramanujam, Head of IIA’s Science Communication, Public Outreach, and Education (SCOPE) section, said that during this event, the sun reaches its zenith, causing vertical objects to cast no visible shadows as they fall directly beneath them. All locations in India situated below the Tropic of Cancer—including Bengaluru, Chennai, and Mangaluru—experience Zero Shadow Day, Ramanujam told PTI.  During this period, the sun will align perfectly overhead, causing vertical objects to cast no shadows.
This phenomenon is observed twice a year in regions situated between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. In Bengaluru, located at a latitude of approximately 13.0 degrees north, the city witnesses this captivating event around April 24/25 and again on August 18 each year.
Zero Shadow Day is a result of the Earth's axial tilt and its orbital motion around the Sun, demonstrating the dynamic relationship between the Earth, the Sun, and the changing seasons.During the summer solstice, which occurs around June 21st in the Northern Hemisphere and December 21st in the Southern Hemisphere, the tilt of the Earth's axis causes the Sun to be directly overhead at local solar noon along the Tropic of Cancer (Northern Hemisphere) or the Tropic of Capricorn (Southern Hemisphere).

(State Correspondent)