Qibla · Misiones Province
Qibla direction in Posadas
To face the Kaaba in Posadas, turn to 73.1° measured clockwise from true north, which is east (16.9° north of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 11,623 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Posadas should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Posadas as a needle at 73.1°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 73°. A traditional magnetic compass also works, provided you allow for the local difference between magnetic and true north.
Find the Qibla with your phone
How to face the Qibla in Posadas
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 16.9° towards north: the result is the bearing of 73.1°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 17° off.
The scholars distinguish two cases: the one who sees the Kaaba aims at the building itself, while the one who cannot see it, as anywhere in Posadas, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of a local mosque is a quick way to confirm the result. If you travel or move house, check the angle again, since it changes from place to place.
Why a flat map shows a different direction
A straight line drawn on a flat (Mercator) map from Posadas to Mecca points to 62.2° (north-east), 10.9° away from the correct 73.1°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 23 km longer than the true shortest route. The Qibla follows the great circle, the shortest path on the curved Earth, which is why the bearing differs.
The value of 73.1° is the direction in which the shortest route from 27.3918° S, 55.9238° W sets off towards the Kaaba at 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E. Every accurate Qibla calculator, and the plans of well-oriented mosques, arrive at the same angle for this point.
Distance from Posadas to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 11,623 km from Posadas as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 11,739 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 14 h 10 min, although most pilgrims from Posadas connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Posadas run 6 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Posadas rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Posadas
On 248 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Posadas while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in January (31 days); for example, on 1 January 2027 it happens at 11:53 local time.
On 84 days the sun stands exactly opposite the Qibla: then the shadow of any vertical object, a pole, a door frame or a plumb line, points straight towards Mecca. This is most frequent in January (31 days), for instance on 1 January 2027 at 18:09.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | 11:53 | 18:09 |
| 15 January 2027 | 11:40 | 18:34 |
| 1 February 2027 | 11:09 | — |
| 15 February 2027 | 10:36 | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 09:59 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 09:20 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 08:32 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 07:53 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | — | — |
| 15 May 2027 | — | — |
| 1 June 2027 | — | — |
| 15 June 2027 | — | — |
| 1 July 2027 | — | — |
| 15 July 2027 | — | — |
| 1 August 2027 | — | — |
| 15 August 2027 | — | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 08:03 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 08:33 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 09:08 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 09:39 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | 10:19 | — |
| 15 November 2027 | 10:53 | 18:31 |
| 1 December 2027 | 11:27 | 18:06 |
| 15 December 2027 | 11:48 | 17:57 |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both happen at night in Posadas (06:18 and 06:27 local time), so they cannot be used here. Instead, on 13 January 2027 at 18:29 and 28 November 2027 at 18:09 the sun is over the point opposite the Kaaba, and every vertical shadow in Posadas points straight to Mecca.
Posadas compared with other cities
Compared with Buenos Aires, 836 km away, the Qibla in Posadas is turned 3.2° further anticlockwise (73.1° against 76.3°), and Mecca is 438 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Ituzaingo (78 km), prays towards 73.5°, a difference of 0.3°.
Among the 34 cities in Argentina on this site, Posadas has the smallest Qibla bearing; the largest is 86.4° in Comodoro Rivadavia. Across the country the direction varies by 13.3°.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Argentina.
Qibla in cities near Posadas
- Ituzaingo73.5° · 78 km
- Formosa, Formosa Province, Argentina73.6° · 260 km
- Corrientes74.3° · 287 km
- Resistencia74.3° · 302 km
- Concordia75.1° · 489 km
- Paraná76.3° · 657 km
Qibla in Posadas: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Posadas?
It is 73.1° from true north, which is east: 16.9° north of east.
How far is Posadas from Mecca?
11,623 km in a straight line over the globe, and 11,739 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Posadas?
On 248 days of 2027 the sun stands in the Qibla direction; the table on this page gives the exact time for the 1st and 15th of each month.
Why is the Qibla in Posadas not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 62.2°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Posadas at 73.1°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 73.1° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.