TURAIF — The advent of Suhail star over the sky of Arabia marks the end of the extreme heat of peak summer season and heralds the gradual declining of temperatures and approach of cooler conditions in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. This star appeared in the southern Jazan region on August 7, and then started moving toward the center of Saudi Arabia by August 24, and to the north of the Kingdom on September 8. Suhail can be observed with the naked eye in the southern half of the Arabian Peninsula on August 24 each year. The Suhail season lasts for 52 days. The weather becomes pleasant at night, while remaining hot in the daytime during the early part. By the end of the season, daytime temperatures become more comfortable. One of the signs coinciding with Suhail's emergence is the decline in the angle of the sun's rays. The days get gradually shorter and cool down significantly at the end of the night. That is why Arabs were looking forward to the rise of this star. The Suhail star is the most-anticipated star in the Arab world as it finally signals the end of summer and the gradual beginning of cooler days in the desert. The star is one of the most interesting stars that Arabs use to observe, monitor, classify, and name other stars, because they regard it as their compass and calendar. Stars help them determine the time for agriculture, hunting, grazing, travel on land and sea, and seasons. Between 70 and 80 days after Suhail appears, camel grazing, studding and palm pollination can commence. Suhail is very often mentioned in Arab poetry, stories, and Bedouin sayings. According to weather experts, Suhail, also known as Canopus, is the second brightest star in the sky after Sirius. Its appearance has great significance for Middle Eastern people. The giant, bright white yellowish star, appears Aug. 24 before sunrise, and then begins to advance day after day until it rises in the middle of the sky at midnight at the end of the month of September, featuring gradual decrease in temperatures until the autumnal equinox on September 23.
