Humidity prevents sighting of Suhail Star but end of summer approaches

As summer concludes in the UAE, high humidity is obstructing the visibility of the Suhail Star, a significant celestial event tracked by Middle Eastern astronomers. The star's appearance in the southern sky traditionally signals the end of intense summer heat and the arrival of cooler weather. In Arab culture, the star's rise is believed to "cool down" the night.

Despite the summer heat persisting for several more weeks, evenings will gradually grow cooler and morning fog more noticeable. Over the past three decades, average September temperatures in the region have ranged from 29°C to 39°C, with an average humidity of around 54%. However, temperatures typically decrease markedly in October, with minimums averaging 25.5°C and maximums reaching 35.8°C during the same period.

Following the Suhail Star's disappearance, winter will commence in November. January is historically the coldest month in the UAE, with average minimum temperatures of 15.5°C and maximums of 24.3°C. The Suhail star, also known as Canopus in astronomical terms, held great importance for pearl divers, sailors, and fishermen. Historically, the star guided them across both land and sea.

The Suhail star serves as the second brightest visible star and the principal anchor of the Drour Calendar, a historical calendar that divides a year into 100-day periods, which are further split into 10-day sub-periods called Dur. This calendar was a crucial cultural tool for predicting seasonal and weather changes long before modern meteorological systems existed.

The Suhail star's sighting marks a time of renewal and relief from the extreme summer heat, and it is frequently referenced in folklore and poetry. Due to the current high humidity levels exceeding 80%, the star was not fully visible on Monday, but it is anticipated to become clearly visible in the coming week.