Qibla direction in Ellicott City

56.69° from true north · north-east · 10,593 km to the Kaaba

The qibla from Ellicott City is 56.69° from true north, towards the north-east. Simply face east and turn 33° to the left. Ellicott City is about 10,593 km from the Kaaba.

Updated: Nov 10, 2026
Method: Great circle
Source: MuslimSuite calculation

Prayer times in Ellicott City Without a compass

Three ways to face the qibla from Ellicott City

1. Phone compass

Open a compass app, move the phone in a figure of 8 to calibrate, keep it away from metal, then turn until the compass reads 57°.
2. Start from east

Face east, then turn 33° to the left. A right angle is 90°, so 33° is about a third of a right angle.
3. The sun's shadow

Twice a year the sun is directly above the Kaaba. At that moment the shadow of any upright object points directly away from the qibla.

Sun over the Kaaba, 2027
- May 28, 2027 · 5:18 AM EDT (the sun is below the horizon in this city)
- July 16, 2027 · 5:27 AM EDT (the sun is below the horizon in this city)

Keeping the compass accurate

Remove magnetic cases and keep the phone away from laptops, speakers and steel frames.
Hold the phone flat. A compass points to magnetic north, while the degrees on this page are measured from true north, so the reading can differ slightly.
Compare with the direction of the rows in a nearby mosque.

Qibla direction in nearby cities

City	Distance from Ellicott City	Qibla
Columbia	5 km	56.7°
Ilchester	5 km	56.7°
Catonsville	6 km	56.7°
Arbutus	9 km	56.8°
Woodlawn	9 km	56.7°
West Elkridge	9 km	56.7°
Milford Mill	9 km	56.7°

Around Ellicott City the qibla is almost the same: it differs by 0.1° at most.

Frequently asked questions

What is the qibla direction from Ellicott City in degrees?

56.69° from true north, measured clockwise — towards the north-east.

How can I find the qibla without a compass?

Face east and turn 33° to the left. More precisely, when the sun is directly above the Kaaba the qibla is the direction towards the sun.

When is the sun over the Kaaba in 2027, in Ellicott City time?

May 28, 2027 at 5:18 AM EDT (the sun is below the horizon in this city) and July 16, 2027 at 5:27 AM EDT (the sun is below the horizon in this city).

What is the difference between true north and compass north?

True north points to the geographic North Pole. A compass needle points to the magnetic pole, which is in a slightly different place, so a compass reading can differ from the degrees on this page.

Do I need to share my location to see the qibla?

No. The qibla on this page is calculated from the coordinates of the center of Ellicott City, so you only need to pick a city.

Sources & method

Kaaba coordinates · 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E
Ellicott City coordinates · 39.2673; -76.7983 (city center) · GeoNames (geonames.org), CC BY 4.0
Formula · Great-circle azimuth from true north

Qibla direction in Ellicott City