05/25/2026
Coolio!
The Sun is passing directly over Hawaii, making shadows completely disappear.
The phenomenon is known as Lāhainā Noon – a rare event that happens when the Sun passes almost directly overhead, causing upright objects like poles, signs, and even people to cast little to no shadow at all.
This week, the phenomenon officially returned to parts of Hawaii.
During Lāhainā Noon, the Sun reaches an angle of nearly 90 degrees above the islands. Instead of sunlight arriving from the side like it normally does, it shines almost straight downward from overhead.
The result can look surreal.
Fire hydrants lose their shadows. Street signs appear oddly flat. Trees seem to stop casting shade altogether. For a brief window around midday, it can feel as if the normal rules of light have broken.
The phenomenon only occurs within Earth’s tropics – the region between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Hawaii is the only US state where it can be observed.
Lāhainā Noon happens twice each year, typically in May and July, as Earth’s tilt and orbit align to place the Sun directly above the islands. Different Hawaiian islands experience it on slightly different dates and times.
The name itself was chosen in a contest held by Honolulu’s Bishop Museum in 1990. “Lāhainā” roughly translates to “cruel sun” in Hawaiian, a reference to the intense overhead sunlight.
Similar events are known elsewhere around the world as “zero shadow days,” but Hawaii’s version has become one of the most famous.
It’s also a reminder that the Sun is not always at the same angle in the sky. Because Earth is tilted by about 23.5 degrees, the Sun’s position slowly shifts throughout the year – occasionally lining up perfectly with places inside the tropics.
