ARAR — Astronomy enthusiasts are anticipating the appearance of the Suhail (Canopus) star on August 26, traditionally associated by people of the Arabian Peninsula with the gradual decline of summer heat. Signaling the changing seasons, approach of autumn and gradually improving weather, Suhail is located in the constellation Carina and is approximately 310 light-years from Earth, according to Mohammed Enad Al-Huzaimi, a member of the Astronomy and Space Club.It is also the second-brightest star in the night sky after Sirius. Al-Huzaimi explained that Suhail’s astronomical rising in the skies over the Northern Borders Region begins on Aug. 26 each year, when it rises at around 5:51 a.m., approximately one minute before sunrise at 5:52 a.m. Although it cannot initially be seen with the naked eye due to the light of dawn and its position very close to the horizon, Al-Huzaimi said Suhail usually becomes visible to the naked eye in the region during the first third of September, as it gradually rises earlier and climbs higher above the southern horizon before sunrise. He noted that Suhail’s appearance has historically served as an important seasonal marker for Arabs, who used it to track gradual changes in the weather, shorter daylight hours and the beginning of cooler nighttime temperatures. It was also associated with agricultural, grazing and travel seasons, becoming part of the Arabian Peninsula’s astronomical and cultural heritage. The star’s appearance serves as an astronomical time marker coinciding with a period of seasonal transition caused by the Earth’s orbit around the Sun, the gradual change in the angle of sunlight and the length of daylight. According to traditional calculations, the Suhail season lasts 52 days, divided into four periods of 13 days each. They begin with Al-Tarfah, followed by Al-Jabhah, Al-Zubrah and finally Al-Sarfah, whose name has traditionally been associated with the gradual easing of intense heat. Suhail symbolizes the gradual transition from the peak of summer heat toward more moderate conditions, bringing together astronomical observation and popular heritage.