Costa Rica News – August 30th is a unique celestial day. From 11:34 AM your shadow will disappear for a moment and reappear as the earth rotates through this position.
It only occurs in the inter-tropical (between tropic of Cancer and Capricorn) region.
The earth is in this position twice a year, April 12th and August 30th. The Costa Rican Foundation for the National Center for Science and Technology (CIENTEC) is recognizing these days from the era of the ‘great civilizations.’
Now that we have all our electronic devices to keep us on schedule, we rarely look to the sky for indications of the shift in seasons. This was fundamental in pre-Columbian times to mark the rainy season and plan agricultural work.
The pre-Columbian Diquis, stone spheres, in Costa Rica’s Osa peninsula were indicators of time by the shadows they cast at certain times a year. Unfortunately, they have disappeared but the area remains a cultural heritage site.
