On Monday, October 5, 2026, the skies above Mecca will experience the second lunar alignment with the Kaaba this year. During this event, the moon will reach an altitude of approximately 90 degrees above the horizon and will be very close to the zenith above the Kaaba. This phenomenon can be observed with the naked eye. According to the Jeddah Astronomical Society, the lunar alignment occurs when the celestial body crosses the local meridian and reaches its highest altitude in the sky.
The lunar alignment takes place when the moon's declination approaches the latitude of Mecca, causing it to pass very close to the zenith while crossing the local meridian. At 7:50:31 am local time, the moon will reach its highest altitude above the horizon in Mecca, with a true altitude of approximately 89.87 degrees. This means that the center of the moon will be at an angular distance of only 7 minutes and 43 seconds from the zenith, making it almost vertical above the Kaaba.
The equatorial coordinates of the moon at that moment will be a right ascension of 8 hours, 25 minutes, and 18.12 seconds, and a declination of +21°33′26.56″. The moon's declination is very close to Mecca's latitude of approximately 21.4 degrees north, which explains why it reaches such a high altitude during its passage across the local meridian. At that time, the moon will be at a distance of 372,252.7 kilometers from the center of the Earth.
The moon will be in the waning crescent phase, with 31.8% of its disk illuminated, and its apparent diameter will be approximately 32 minutes and 40 seconds of arc, or about 0.544 degrees. This is close to the sun's apparent size in the sky. The Jeddah Astronomical Society noted that the first lunar alignment with the Kaaba in 2026 occurred on February 28, and this event occurs about seven months later due to the moon's continuous change in position and celestial coordinates during its orbit around the Earth.
This phenomenon is related to determining the direction of the Qibla, as when the moon is very close to the zenith above the Kaaba, observers in locations where the moon is above the horizon can use its direction as a visual guide to the direction of Mecca. Although this method has educational and astronomical value, there are more accurate methods available today to determine the direction of the Qibla.
The lunar alignment differs from the solar alignment in that the moon moves faster and its declination and celestial coordinates change continuously due to its orbit around the Earth. Therefore, the timing and degree of elevation of the lunar alignment change from one location to another and from one date to another. These events are calculated based on the geographic location, time, and celestial coordinates of the moon.
The lunar alignment on October 5, 2026, provides a beautiful opportunity to observe the relationship between the moon's motion, Earth's rotation, and the meridian, latitude, and Kaaba's location. It also demonstrates how a simple celestial phenomenon can be applied practically to understand the geometry of the sky. The event will be a unique chance for observers to see the moon almost vertical above the Kaaba at an altitude of approximately 89.87 degrees at 7:50 am local time.
Key points
- The second lunar alignment with the Kaaba will occur on October 5, 2026.
- The moon will reach an altitude of approximately 89.87 degrees above the horizon.
- The event can be observed with the naked eye.
