JAKARTA – Researcher at the Space Research Center of the Aeronautics and Space Research Organization of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Andi Pangerang said that Venus’ first sighting at dawn could be seen on January 13, 2022.
“After the inferior conjunction of Venus on January 9, 2022, Venus can be seen for the first time on January 13 since the end of the sea for 25 minutes until the sun rises,” Andi said as quoted by Antara, Wednesday, January 12.
Andi said Venus can be seen from the east near the constellation Sagittarius with a brightness of -4.32. Venus’ appearance at dawn lasts for eight months and 12 days and ends on September 25, 2022.
After that, Venus cannot be observed again until the occurrence of superior conjunction and can only be seen again on November 14, 2022 at dusk. On January 14, 2022, an astronomical phenomenon occurred in the form of the Nadir of the Kaaba or the Sun above the Antipode of the Kaaba.
Nadir Kaaba occurs when the Sun is right at the nadir (lowest point) at midnight for observers located at the Kaaba.
Due to the spherical shape of the Earth, the Sun will be directly above the antipode point of the Kaaba (a point located in the hemisphere opposite to the Kaaba) at midday, so that the end of the Sun’s shadow that experiences morning, afternoon and evening will point towards mecca.
This phenomenon occurs twice a year. For 2022, it will occur on January 14 at 00.29.30 Saudi Arabian Time or 06.29.30 WIT and will occur again on November 29 at 00.08.45 Saudi Arabian Time or 06.08.45 WIT.
The use of Nadir Kaaba in straightening the Qibla direction can only be used for areas when the sun is above the horizon, namely Maluku Province (except Buru Island), West Papua, Papua, Timor Leste (except Oecussi district), Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, some large parts of Australia, countries in Oceania, the United States, most of Canada, Central America and South America.
Measurements can be made 40 minutes before and after the specified time with a tolerance of 0.5 minutes if the weather is less favorable.
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