Qibla direction in West Lake Sammamish
17.80° from true north · north · 12,133 km to the Kaaba
In short
The qibla from West Lake Sammamish is 17.80° from true north, towards the north. Simply face north and turn 18° to the right. West Lake Sammamish is about 12,133 km from the Kaaba. Twice a year the sun is directly above the Kaaba. The sun is below the horizon here at that moment, so the shadow method does not work.
17.80°
Gold arc = 18° from north to the qibla
Three ways to face the qibla from West Lake Sammamish
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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 18°.
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2. Start from north
Face north, then turn 18° to the right. A right angle is 90°, so 18° is about a sixth of a right angle.
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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
- · 2:18 AM PDT (the sun is below the horizon in this city)
- · 2:27 AM PDT (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 West Lake Sammamish | Qibla |
|---|---|---|
| City of Sammamish | 6 km | 17.9° |
| Sammamish | 7 km | 17.8° |
| Issaquah | 7 km | 17.9° |
| Bellevue | 8 km | 17.7° |
| Mercer Island | 9 km | 17.7° |
| Redmond | 11 km | 17.8° |
| Union Hill-Novelty Hill | 13 km | 17.9° |
Around West Lake Sammamish the qibla is almost the same: it differs by 0.1° at most.
Frequently asked questions
What is the qibla direction from West Lake Sammamish in degrees?
17.80° from true north, measured clockwise — towards the north.
How can I find the qibla without a compass?
Face north and turn 18° to the right. Twice a year the sun is directly above the Kaaba. The sun is below the horizon here at that moment, so the shadow method does not work.
When is the sun over the Kaaba in 2027, in West Lake Sammamish time?
May 28, 2027 at 2:18 AM PDT (the sun is below the horizon in this city) and July 16, 2027 at 2:27 AM PDT (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 West Lake Sammamish, so you only need to pick a city.
Sources & method
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Kaaba coordinates · 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E
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West Lake Sammamish coordinates · 47.5776; -122.1012 (city center) · GeoNames (geonames.org), CC BY 4.0
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Formula · Great-circle azimuth from true north