In what will be the first celestial event of 2021, a full moon will shine above the Kaaba in Mecca. This event will take place at 12:43 AM local time on Thursday, January 28th. Anyone near the Grand Mosque will be able to witness this rare phenomenon.
According to Al Arabiya, the full moon will have a disk illumination of 99.9 percent and the distance will stand around 381,125 km. Sometimes referred to as the “Wolf Moon”, the celestial event will continue throughout Thursday and end at sunrise on Friday the 29th.
As Muslims from all over the world pray this Thursday, their qibla will be aligned towards the full moon over the Kaaba.
During a full moon, the disk of the moon illuminates when the sun is at an opposite position to it. If the sun rays are bright enough, the moon can light up areas otherwise covered in darkness.
The moon is regarded as the most important celestial body in Islam being often referenced in the Quran and Hadiths.”Badr,” the first ghazwa, was named as such in regards to the full moon. This event serves as a religiously symbolic importance to Muslims globally.
To all photographers, stargazers, and anyone else interested, this is a chance to witness an extremely rare event. Make sure not to miss it if you’re in Saudi Arabia!