Case file No. 08 · The ancient past and faith
Fatima and the “dancing sun”
The claim
On 13 October 1917, tens of thousands of people at Fatima, Portugal, saw the sun spin, change colour and seem to fall, and their wet clothes dried at once.
Partly explained
The sun did not move. The experience is partly explained.
The sun did not move, because people elsewhere would have seen it. Staring at the sun produces afterimages, colour changes and the look of motion, and the crowd had been looking at the sky for a long time. What we cannot reconstruct is what each person experienced and why so many reported the same thing.
Short answer
On 13 October 1917, a crowd gathered at Cova da Iria near Fatima, in Portugal, after three children said that a lady would show a sign. A newspaper report of two days later described the sun seeming to turn and fall, and many in the crowd agreed [5]. Researchers note that the sun did not move, because no one elsewhere reported it, and that staring at the sun can cause afterimages, colour changes and apparent movement, and damage the retina [2][3]. The Catholic Church does not require belief in private apparitions [4]. What is not settled is the exact experience of the many witnesses [1][2].
What supporters can show
Sceptical and religious people reported it
Some say their clothes dried quickly
Some people far from Fatima are said to have seen it
Claims that supporters often repeat and that we looked for but could not confirm in a reliable source.
- A secret “miracle photograph”. No authenticated photograph shows the sun moving. The photographs from the day show the crowd looking up.
- Scientific confirmation of the miracle. We found no study by a scientific body confirming that the sun moved.
What science found
The sun did not move
If the sun had really moved, spun or fallen, people everywhere on the day side of the Earth would have seen it, and astronomers would have recorded it. No such reports exist outside the crowd at Cova da Iria and its neighbourhood [2].
Staring at the sun produces these effects
Looking at the bright sun, even briefly, produces afterimages, apparent changes in colour and the sense of movement as the eyes tire and the visual system adapts. Longer staring can burn the retina and cause lasting damage, called solar retinopathy [3]. The crowd had been looking at the sky for a long time after rain stopped and the clouds parted.
Crowds influence what people report
In a large crowd waiting expectantly, people notice what others point out, and a shared expectation shapes the descriptions. Researchers have documented cases of shared visions in religious gatherings [1][2].
Accounts differ
Witnesses described different things: spinning, colour, zigzag movement, falling. Many people at the site reported seeing nothing unusual [1].
What is still open
Why so many people described similar experiences, and what each person actually saw, cannot now be reconstructed. The accounts were collected from memory, in some cases years later [1].
If this happens to you
Do not stare at the sun to test it. Looking at the sun can permanently damage your eyes, even for a short time [3]. If you saw spots or lost vision after looking at the sun, see an eye doctor.
Sources
- Zimdars-Swartz, S. L. (1991). Encountering Mary: From La Salette to Medjugorje. Princeton University Press.
- Nickell, J. (1993). Looking for a Miracle: Weeping Icons, Relics, Stigmata, Visions & Healing Cures. Prometheus Books.
- EyeWiki, American Academy of Ophthalmology. Solar retinopathy. Source
- Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992), § 67: private revelations.
- O Século (Lisbon), 15 October 1917. Report by Avelino de Almeida on the events at Cova da Iria.
Change log
15 November 2026: First publication. Verdict: Partly explained.