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UAE experts bust weather myth: Does spotting Suhail star mean winter has begun?
Residents have turned to social media to share their excitement about the visibility of the star in the night sky, linking it to cooler temperatures
The Suhail star has been considered a celestial indicator of seasonal change by residents of the Arabian Peninsula for years. They have observed that cooler weather coincides with the appearance of the star.
Since it first appeared on August 24, people in the country have repeatedly turned to social media to share their excitement about the visibility of one of the brightest stars in the night sky, linking it to cooler temperatures.
It’s believed once the star is observed, a 40-day transition period occurs during which the weather shifts from extreme heat to cooler temperatures. This phase is commonly called ‘Sufriya.’
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Notably, Suhail can be observed in the evening sky, during the transitional periods around the equinoxes.
However, to dispel myths, astronomy experts in the UAE emphasised that this is merely a coincidence and is not directly related to the weather.
Hasan Al Hariri, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dubai Astronomy Group, said, “There is no direct connection between the weather and the Suhail star. Ancient civilisations used the stars for navigation and tracking time, dividing the sky into seasons based on the visibility of specific stars associated with those seasons. The seasons are not dictated by the stars themselves but rather by the Earth's rotation and its axial tilt, which cause seasonal changes. However, certain stars can serve as indicators of these changes, creating the appearance of a correlation between the stars and the weather."
He explained that in the Middle Eastern civilisations, stars were seen as signs of upcoming seasons. Suhail, one of the brightest stars in the sky, was used by the Arabs for navigation and became well-known for its association with temperature drops when it became visible.
Sharing some anecdotes he added, “Suhail was often referenced as a marker for changing weather conditions, indicating when dates would be ready for harvest and signalling the time to cease pearl diving due to the strong winds and waves. Thus, during summer, people would venture to the sea,” he added.
Four stars named Suhail
Similarly, member of the Emirates Astronomical Society in Abu Dhabi, Vipin PK, said, “There are four stars named Suhail.”
Clarifying its scientific foundations, he added, “Two stars exist in the Vela Constellation, named Al Suhail al Wazn also known as Lambda Velorum (λ Velorum) and Al Suhail al Muhlif named as Gamma Velorum (γ Velorum).Then there is one star in Carina Constellation which is Suhail or in English it is known as ‘Canopus’ which is the second brightest star in the sky after Syrius and is visible now in the early mornings. Then there is a one star in Puppis Constellation called Suhail Hadar or Zeta Puppis.”
He explained due to the brightness of Canopus it is quite easy to locate and can be visible at different times throughout the year; for about six months.
“Certain stars may be hidden by the sun, rendering them invisible in the morning. Interestingly, Canopus appears in the sky as winter approaches, aligning with the UAE’s seasonal transition.”
Adding a trivia, Vipin said, “However in the year 2016, the International Astronomical Union officially assigned Lambda Velorum (not Canopus) as ‘Suhail’.”
Rapid weather changes
Meanwhile, the month of September is considered as the last month of summer, where temperatures start to decrease especially during night and the second half of the month.
The autumn equinox officially occurred on September 22 at 4.44pm local time, when the Sun was directly aligned with the equator, resulting in equal sunlight for both the northern and southern hemispheres.
The most notable feature of the equinox is that day and night are approximately equal in length. This occurs because the sun crosses the celestial equator, moving southward. After the equinox, the days start to get shorter as we move toward winter with temperatures gradually dropping during the transitional phase.
Dr Ahmed Habib, a climate expert from the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) earlier said, “This transition period is also marked by rapid and dramatic changes in weather…in autumn, which also happens during Spring. For instance, you might enjoy stable weather today, only to find that the next day brings swift shifts to unstable conditions. This can result in sudden cloud cover and rain following a dry day.”
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