The Suhail star, a celestial sign of seasonal change, was seen last Saturday, August 24, 5:20 am in the skies of the UAE, specifically from Al Ain. The sighting, captured by Tamim Al-Tamimi of the Emirates Astronomy Society, was shared by Storm Centre on X.
Known in Arab tradition for heralding cooler weather, the rise of Suhail does not immediately bring lower temperatures. However, it marks the beginning of a gradual decline in night-time temperatures. As Ibrahim Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Emirates Astronomical Society, previously stated, Suhail will be visible at dawn starting August 24.
The appearance of Suhail sets off a transitional period in the region’s weather, starting with ‘Sufriya,’ which spans about 40 days as temperatures slowly decrease. This is followed by ‘Wasm’ in mid-October, when weather conditions stabilize, and eventually leads to the onset of winter around 100 days after Suhail’s appearance. Known as the ‘Star of Yemen,’ Suhail is a key marker in the Arab ‘Durur’ calendar, which divides the year into distinct phases, each lasting approximately 100 days.