Tropical sun reaches
top of the sky Sunday

Locations in Hawaii are due for
a series of shadowless noons

---

Star-Bulletin staff

For one shining moment Sunday, when the sun is directly overhead, things tall and straight will cast absolutely no shadows.

It's not magic or a virtual-reality trick. It's called "Lahaina Noon," and it happens at 20 different moments throughout the Hawaiian Islands in May and then in July.

Hawaii is the only state to experience this phenomenon, which occurs only in the tropics, according to Bishop Museum Planetarium manager Mike Shanahan.

It will happen in Honolulu at exactly 12:28 p.m. Sunday and then again at 12:37 p.m. July 15.

This year's first Lahaina Noon happened at 12:17 p.m. last Saturday in Hilo.

The last one will happen at 12:30 p.m. July 24 in Kailua-Kona.

Obviously, it doesn't happen at 12 on the dot and not always in Lahaina. So why the name? Bishop Museum held a contest 10 years ago to name the occurrence since there wasn't a convenient single term for "that day when the sun is exactly overhead at local noon."

Lahaina means "cruel sun" in Hawaiian.

Lahaina Noon occurs only once on the Tropic of Cancer, 23.5 degrees north of the equator, on the first day of summer, June 21.

It occurs only once on the Tropic of Capricorn, 23.5 degrees south of the equator, on the first day of winter, Dec. 22.

For all other locations in the tropics, this event occurs twice a year.

The closer a given latitude is to the Tropic of Cancer, the closer the Lahaina Noon dates will be to June 21.

For instance, Lahaina Noon dates in Lihue occur on May 31 and July 11, 21 days before and 21 days after the first day of summer.

Lahaina Noon dates in Hilo, much farther south, occur on May 18 and July 24, 34 days before and 33 days after the summer solstice.

Anyone with questions can call the planetarium at 848-4136 or visit its Web site at www.bishopmuseum.org/ planetarium.

Overhead projections

Lahaina Noon dates for 2002
>> Kahului -- today, 12:21 p.m.; July 18, 12:31 p.m.
>> Lahaina -- today, 12:24 p.m.; July 18, 12:33 p.m.
>> Lanai City -- today, 12:24 p.m.; July 18, 12:34 p.m.
>> Kaunakakai, Molokai -- tomorrow, 12:25 p.m.; July 17, 12:34 p.m.
>> Honolulu -- Sunday, 12:28 p.m.; July 15, 12:37 p.m.
>> Kaneohe -- Monday, 12:28 p.m.; July 15, 12:37 p.m.
>> Lihue -- next Friday, 12:34 p.m.; July 11, 12:43 p.m.
>> Hana, Maui -- July 18, 12:30 p.m.
>> Hilo -- July 24, 12:27 p.m.
>> Kailua-Kona -- July 24, 12:30 p.m.