Residents in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula noticed a peculiar phenomenon over recent days; as they went about their daily business, their shadows all but disappeared beneath their feet.

Known as the solar zenith, when our Sun reaches its highest point above Earth, resulting in the near total disappearance of lateral shadows, the shadowy disappearances took place across parts of Mexico between May 23 and 25. Some areas, such as Mexico City, experienced the phenomenon even earlier in May.

👉👉👉 #CUIDADO 🔴 SE ACERCAN DÍAS DE MAYOR #RADIACIÓN SOLAR EN #YUCATÁN POR EL #FENÓMENO "EL SOL EN EL CENIT" ; LAS SOMBRAS DESAPARECEN ☀☀☀ pic.twitter.com/2dINEpbZS4 — Yucatán En Corto (@YucatanEnCorto) May 21, 2019

Solar radiation levels also increased significantly during the the event, but not enough to cause any major harm, outside of the occasional sunburn for those braving the intense Yucatan heat without sunscreen or shade.

“During these days, the sun will be directly above our heads, meaning that, for a brief time during the day, people won’t be able to cast shadows,” astronomer Eddie Salazar Gamboa explained.

#CDMX#BellasArtes RT ArteAlameda: #LAAExhibe Así se vivió Retrato de una tarde en la alameda con el sol en el cenitRetrato colectivo inspirado en el mural Sueño de una tarde dominical en la Alameda Central, de Diego Rivera, justo cuando el sol está e… pic.twitter.com/egNzEombxB — CD EME X Ciudad de México (@CD_EME_X) May 18, 2019

The phenomenon happens twice a year, when the sun is above us in spring and after its return during the summer solstice, in areas between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The next such event will take place in July.

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In the native Mayan civilization, the phenomenon indicated when to plant crops.

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