المملكة: Jeddah Astronomy: Distinctive celestial phenomena adorn the nights of Ramadan 2026 between conjunctions and the spring equinox

The President of the Astronomical Society in Jeddah, Engineer Majid Abu Zahra, explained that during the holy month of Ramadan 2026, the Earth’s sky will witness a series of remarkable astronomical phenomena, which combine the beauty of planetary conjunctions with the accuracy of The western horizon after sunset, in an apparent convergence, paints a charming astronomical picture that can be viewed with the naked eye when the skies are clear, and increases in beauty when observed with binoculars or photographic lenses.

Happening "Badr Al Khuzama" In the middle of Ramadan

He pointed out that the most prominent event during the holy month coincides with Mid-Ramadan, specifically on March 3, with the full moon in what is known as “Badr Al-Khuzama,” as a total lunar eclipse occurs at this time, but it is not visible in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and most Arab countries. He explained that some areas of the Sultanate of Oman and the UAE may witness the eclipse in the form of a penumbral eclipse only, while a total eclipse is observed in other regions of the world.

He added that the total eclipse occurs when the full moon passes within the Earth’s shadow, which leads to the appearance of faint color gradations on its disk, while the parts located inside the complete shadow turn into a dark red color in areas where the phenomenon is fully observed, which makes this event one of the most interesting astronomical phenomena this year, given Due to the successive light changes that occur on the moon throughout the duration of the eclipse.

Spring Equinox

As the end of the month of Ramadan approaches, attention – according to the President of the Astronomical Society in Jeddah – is turning towards an important astronomical event represented by the spring equinox, which falls on March 20, which is the moment when the length of day and night is approximately equal in both hemispheres, declaring the astronomical beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere of the planet.

Abu Zahra explained that the month of Ramadan will be relatively calm in terms of meteor showers, and that bright comets that can be observed with the naked eye will not appear during it, which means that tracking comets will require the use of telescopes or astronomical binoculars. Among the most prominent comets that can be monitored visually during this period are comet 88P/Howell and comet C/2024 E1 (Versechus), indicating that their brightness will gradually diminish as the end of March approaches. As for the comets that are expected to reach a brightness that allows them to be seen with the naked eye, such as comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS), they are expected to appear after Eid al-Fitr.

He concluded his speech by emphasizing that the nights of Ramadan remain appropriate for observing the different phases of the moon, as they provide an opportunity to observe the shadows and details on its surface, in addition to observing changing stars and deep sky objects using telescopes, in addition to the possibility of watching the passage of the International Space Station, in A bright, moving spectacle that can be seen with the naked eye, and constitutes a unique astronomical experience for sky lovers.

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