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Mangaluru, Apr 23: An astronomical phenomenon, ‘Zero Shadow Day', will be observed in Mangaluru on April 24 and in Udupi on April 25. 

According to a press release from Poornaprajna Amateur Astronomers’ Club, the wonder will commence and people will see their shadows disappear for a few moments at 12:28 pm.

The phenomenon is called as Zero Shadow Day. If a person takes a candle in a dark room and use it to create a shadow of one’s palm on the wall, the hand will cast shadow on the wall as one moves the hand. But when one places the palm on the wall, there will be no shadow.

In the phenomenon, the sun at these times shines exactly above the heads on these days. In astronomy, this point is called as Zenith. The point in the sky directly above an observer at any given location. So it is quite clear now that on Zero Shadow Day, the sun passes through the Zenith as a result of which, all objects will have minimal or no shadow if they are on the ground.

The reason for this happens on some specific days is concerned with astronomy. The earth spins around on its own axis and causes days and nights. It also revolves around the sun causing a year. But the seasons are caused because the axis is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees. It is because of this tilt that the sun rises every day in the east gradually moving towards the north till June 21st and then slowly proceeding towards the south till December 21st every year. “We call these days solstice. This means the sun shines between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn every day passing by the equator on the days we call equinox,” the release stated.

As the earth moves around the sun and revolves on its own axis, for all the people between Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, the Sun at noon moves father and closer to the zenith passing through zenith twice causing two Zero Shadow Days per year. People at Mangaluru will observe this on April 24 and August 18 every year and People in Udupi will observe this on April 25 and August 17 every year.

Places with same latitudes will observe the same days of Zero Shadow but the time would vary with longitude. For example, people of Bengaluru as they share the latitude with Mangaluru will also observe it on April 24. While the people of Mangaluru will observe their shadows disappear at 12.28pm, people of Bengaluru will observe this at 12:17pm. Places like Moodabidri, Bantwal, Sakleshpur and Hassan will also observe Zero Shadow on April 24.

Places like Brahmavar, Karkala, Sringeri, Kudremukha, Chikkamagaluru will observe the Zero Shadow Day on the same day as Udupi on April 25.

Bengaluru, Jul 6: With a record 1,925 new cases across the state during the last 24 hours, Karnataka's Covid-19 tally rose to 23,474 including 13,251 active after 9,847 were discharged till date, an official said on Sunday.

"Of the total cases across the state on a single day, Bengaluru accounted for 1,235, taking its positive tally to 9,580, including 8,167 active," said the health official in a statement.

With 37 succumbing to the disease in the state, including 16 from Bengaluru, the state's death toll increased to 372, with 145 from this tech city since March 9.

Of the 603 discharged from across the state during the day, 302 were from Bengaluru, taking its total number of cured to 1,267 so far.

Of the 243 cases in the intensive care unit (ICU) across the state, 132 are in Bengaluru, 15 at Dharwad, 12 at Kalaburagi and 10 each at Ballari and Raichur.

Of the 16,899 samples tested in the day, 14,649 were negative and 1,925 positive. Of the total 7,06,425 samples tested so far, 6,65,525 were negative and 23,474 positive.

After Bengaluru, Dakshina Kannada reported 142 positive cases followed by Ballari 90, Vijayapura 57, Kalaburagi 49 and Udupi and Dharwad 45 each.

Of the total 603 discharged, 52 were from Kalaburagi, 37 from Ballari, 36 from Dakshina Kannada and 22 each from Udupi and Dharwad.

Mangaluru, May 27: Mangaluru MLA U T Khader today urged Dakshina Kannada MP and Karnataka BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel to pave the way for immediate repatriation of Mangalureans stranded across Gulf countries.

The development comes amidst reports that lack of preparedness on part of the authorities concerned in Dakshina Kannada compelled the Centre to delay the operation of repatriation flights from various Gulf to Mangaluru International Airport under Vande Bharat Mission.

Lakhs of people from Mangaluru region (coastal Karnataka) alone are working in middle eastern countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar. Thousands of them are currently stranded thanks to covid-19 lockdown and are helplessly waiting for repatriation.

Speaking to coastaldigest.com, Mr Khader said he already spoke to Mr Kateel and brought to his notice the plight of Mangalureans in Saudi Arabia and other gulf countries. "There are a large number of pregnant women, senior citizens and patients who need immediate repatriation. It is the responsibility of the elected representatives and district administration to pave the way for the repatriation of our people and arrange quarantine facilities for them," he said. 

"Mr Kaeel is not only MP of Dakshina Kannada. He is also the chief of Karnataka's ruling party. Hence, he must play a crucial role in facilitating the return of Kannadigas in general and Mangalureans in particular," Mr Khader said.