Qibla · East Kazakhstan
Qibla direction in Ust-Kamenogorsk
To face the Kaaba in Ust-Kamenogorsk, turn to 245.5° measured clockwise from true north, which is south-west (24.5° south of west). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 4,895 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Ust-Kamenogorsk should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Ust-Kamenogorsk as a needle at 245.5°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 245°. 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 Ust-Kamenogorsk
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 24.5° towards south: the result is the bearing of 245.5°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at west would leave you about 25° 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 Ust-Kamenogorsk, 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
This is a place where maps mislead badly: a straight line on a flat map from Ust-Kamenogorsk to Mecca points to 230.0° (south-west), a full 15.5° away from the true Qibla of 245.5° (south-west). The map line keeps one compass heading and is 42 km longer than the great-circle route. Because the Earth is a sphere, the shortest way to Mecca from Ust-Kamenogorsk first heads south-west, and that is the direction to face.
The value of 245.5° is the direction in which the shortest route from 49.9714° N, 82.6059° E 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 Ust-Kamenogorsk to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 4,895 km from Ust-Kamenogorsk as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 4,649 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 6 h 15 min, although most pilgrims from Ust-Kamenogorsk connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Ust-Kamenogorsk run 2 hours ahead of Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Ust-Kamenogorsk rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Ust-Kamenogorsk
On 251 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Ust-Kamenogorsk while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in March (31 days); for example, on 1 March 2027 it happens at 16:01 local time.
On 79 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 July (31 days), for instance on 15 May 2027 at 04:20.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | — |
| 15 January 2027 | — | — |
| 1 February 2027 | — | — |
| 15 February 2027 | — | — |
| 1 March 2027 | 16:01 | — |
| 15 March 2027 | 15:42 | — |
| 1 April 2027 | 15:17 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 14:58 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 14:39 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 14:26 | 04:20 |
| 1 June 2027 | 14:16 | 04:32 |
| 15 June 2027 | 14:14 | 04:39 |
| 1 July 2027 | 14:19 | 04:42 |
| 15 July 2027 | 14:26 | 04:39 |
| 1 August 2027 | 14:39 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 14:49 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 15:02 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 15:13 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | 15:25 | — |
| 15 October 2027 | 15:37 | — |
| 1 November 2027 | — | — |
| 15 November 2027 | — | — |
| 1 December 2027 | — | — |
| 15 December 2027 | — | — |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Ust-Kamenogorsk: at 14:18 and 14:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Ust-Kamenogorsk compared with other cities
Compared with Astana, 799 km away, the Qibla in Ust-Kamenogorsk is turned 14.0° further clockwise (245.5° against 231.5°), and Mecca is 602 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Semey (175 km), prays towards 242.6°, a difference of 2.9°.
Across the 23 cities in Kazakhstan on this site, the Qibla ranges from 201.2° in Oral to 246.6° in Almaty, a spread of 45.4°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Kazakhstan.
Qibla in cities near Ust-Kamenogorsk
Qibla in Ust-Kamenogorsk: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Ust-Kamenogorsk?
It is 245.5° from true north, which is south-west: 24.5° south of west.
How far is Ust-Kamenogorsk from Mecca?
4,895 km in a straight line over the globe, and 4,649 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Ust-Kamenogorsk?
On 251 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 Ust-Kamenogorsk not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 230.0°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Ust-Kamenogorsk at 245.5°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 245.5° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.