The Phenomenon Behind Zero Shadow Day

• The Astronomical Society of India (ASI) suggests that the main reason for zero shadow days is how the sun is positioned.

• When the sun is right above or its light directly hits objects, the solar angle is very low, resulting in no shadows. This happens when the Sun’s declination matches the location’s latitude.

• On a zero-show day, when the sun passes the local meridian, its rays fall straight down, perfectly vertical to an object on the ground.

• This means there’s no declination, and the viewer, the sun, and the objects form a 90-degree angle. Since the light rays don’t bend after hitting the object, there’s no angle, and hence, no shadow is cast.

• Zero-shadow days vary in different places due to the sun’s position, which changes globally. This event happens twice a year when the sun is directly above regions near the equator.

• It’s important to know that the zero-shadow effect is mostly seen with vertical objects aligning with the sun’s rays, causing a low solar angle and no shadow. This includes tall buildings, trees, and poles whose shadows vanish briefly at noon.

Zero Shadow Day occurs when the sun’s rays are directly overhead, causing objects to cast no shadows, typically observed near the equator twice a year, showcasing celestial phenomena. It happens in all locations where the latitude aligns with the angle between the Sun’s position and the equator on that specific day.

In this article, we will understand the meaning of zero shadow day, facts about zero shadow day, and the phenomenon behind the zero shadow day.