On “No Shadow Day,” the sun’s rays are perpendicular to the ground, resulting in vertical objects casting no shadows.
Apart from cosmic events that occur only a few times in a person’s lifetime, there are annual events that take place in certain locations on Earth that are equally fascinating. One of these is “Lāhainā Noon”, also known as “No Shadow Day,” according to IFLScience.
Vertical objects casting no shadows on “Lāhainā Noon” – (Source: Reddit).
Twice a year, only a few places on Earth experience a moment when the sun is directly overhead, meaning the sun’s rays are perpendicular to the ground, resulting in vertical objects casting no shadows. These locations are all situated in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
On “No Shadow Days,” when the sun is at its zenith and the shadows of vertical objects are obscured by the objects themselves, we are also at our closest position to the sun.
Hawaii, located in the tropics, is the only U.S. state that experiences “No Shadow Day,” which typically occurs in May and July each year.
“No Shadow Day” has also been documented in India, Singapore, the Philippines, and more…
According to the Philippine Star, the capital city Manila and surrounding areas recorded a “No Shadow Day” on April 29, 2021. On March 23, 2023, Singapore also experienced a “No Shadow Day.”
(Video: No Shadow Day in Nicaragua).
