Qibla · Sagaing Region
Qibla direction in Kalemyo
To face the Kaaba in Kalemyo, turn to 279.1° measured clockwise from true north, which is west (9.1° north of west). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 5,550 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Kalemyo should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Kalemyo as a needle at 279.1°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 279°. 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 Kalemyo
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards west and move a further 9.1° towards north: the result is the bearing of 279.1°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at west would leave you about 9° 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 Kalemyo, 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 Kalemyo to Mecca points to 268.0° (west), 11.2° away from the correct 279.1°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 32 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 279.1° is the direction in which the shortest route from 23.1901° N, 94.0641° 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 Kalemyo to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 5,550 km from Kalemyo as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 5,504 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 7 h 02 min, although most pilgrims from Kalemyo connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Kalemyo run 3.5 hours ahead of Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Kalemyo rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Kalemyo
On 134 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Kalemyo while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in May (31 days); for example, on 1 May 2027 it happens at 17:17 local time.
On 198 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 May (31 days), for instance on 15 March 2027 at 07:32.
| 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 | — | — |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 07:32 |
| 1 April 2027 | — | 08:25 |
| 15 April 2027 | — | 09:09 |
| 1 May 2027 | 17:17 | 10:01 |
| 15 May 2027 | 16:29 | 10:48 |
| 1 June 2027 | 15:36 | 11:44 |
| 15 June 2027 | 12:17 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 15:18 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 15:55 | 11:43 |
| 1 August 2027 | 16:50 | 10:48 |
| 15 August 2027 | 17:36 | 09:59 |
| 1 September 2027 | — | 08:57 |
| 15 September 2027 | — | 08:06 |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 07:06 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | — |
| 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 Kalemyo: at 15:48 and 15:57 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Kalemyo compared with other cities
Compared with Nay Pyi Taw, 439 km away, the Qibla in Kalemyo is turned 3.2° further anticlockwise (279.1° against 282.3°), and Mecca is 282 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Monywa (163 km), prays towards 280.3°, a difference of 1.2°.
Among the 30 cities in Myanmar on this site, Kalemyo has the smallest Qibla bearing; the largest is 287.6° in Myeik. Across the country the direction varies by 8.5°.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Myanmar.
Qibla in cities near Kalemyo
- Monywa280.3° · 163 km
- Pakokku280.9° · 231 km
- Myingyan280.9° · 236 km
- Mandalay280.6° · 247 km
- Pyin Oo Lwin280.7° · 277 km
- Yenangyaung281.5° · 314 km
Qibla in Kalemyo: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Kalemyo?
It is 279.1° from true north, which is west: 9.1° north of west.
How far is Kalemyo from Mecca?
5,550 km in a straight line over the globe, and 5,504 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Kalemyo?
On 134 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 Kalemyo not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 268.0°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Kalemyo at 279.1°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 279.1° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.