Suhail star signals end of UAE summer but Sweat-tember and Hot-tober loom

Summer in the United Arab Emirates appears to be coming to a close, with the Suhail star set to make its first seasonal appearance next week. According to Ibrahim Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Emirates Astronomy Society, the star will be visible on Monday, August 24. This sighting signals the end of peak summer, with temperatures gradually dropping as September arrives.

However, the increasing humidity may make outdoor activities less enjoyable than usual. Despite a slight cooling, average temperatures in September are expected to hover around 32 to 37 degrees Celsius, similar to previous months in the summer season. The appearance of Suhail in the southern sky is a significant celestial event tracked by astronomers across the region.

Symbolically, it marks the closure of intense heat and the onset of cooler conditions. In Arab folklore, the night is said to "cool down" when Suhail rises. Historically, average temperatures in September ranged from 29 to 39 degrees Celsius, with an average humidity of around 54 percent. In October, temperatures tend to cool down further, with an average range of 25.5 to 35.8 degrees Celsius.

The winter season then commences in November, with January typically being the coolest month of the year in the UAE, averaging a minimum of 15.5 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 24.3 degrees Celsius. Known as Canopus in the astronomical world, Suhail is a giant, yellowish-white star located in the Carina constellation, approximately 313 light years away from Earth.

It is the second brightest star in the night sky, surpassed only by Sirius. Also referred to as the Star of Yemen, the arrival of Suhail coincides with the ancient Al Drour calendar, which divides the year into distinct phases, each lasting 100 days.