Colombo residents witnessed a rare astronomical event at exactly 12.12 p.m. today (7), as their shadows vanished momentarily under the midday sun during the 'Zero Shadow Day'.

This phenomenon occurs when the sun is positioned directly overhead, causing vertical objects to cast no shadow. It is part of the sun's northward journey, known as the subsolar point, and affects different locations as the sun reaches its zenith.

The event began in Sri Lanka on 4 April at Dondra Head and will continue northward until 15 April. 

The spectacle was also observed in Galle and Anuradhapura, with similar events set to take place in areas such as Nainamadama and Mahiyanganaya tomorrow (8).