A phenomenon called ``sunset panda,'' where the setting sun overlaps with the tower's antenna, making it look like a panda's face.
An observation event was held on the 1st in Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture, and a fully formed "Sunset Panda" appeared for the first time in seven years.
Every year in March and October at the observation deck of the Akashi City Astronomical Science Museum, you can see a phenomenon in which the sunset near sunset overlaps with the steel tower, making the round antenna part look like a panda's eyes and ears, and the sun looks like the outline of a panda's face. We call it ``Sunset Panda'' and hold observation sessions.
On the 1st, 20 people, including parents and children who won a lottery with a winning ratio of approximately 13 times, gathered and waited to see the "Sunset Panda."
Then, just before 6 p.m., the sunset overlapped with the tower's antenna, and the Sunset Panda appeared in its entirety for the first time in seven years since 2017.
The crowd cheered, clapped, and took photos.
An elementary school boy said, ``It was so cute to see the position of the panda's eyes change, going up and down.''
A woman whose 80th birthday is on the 1st said, ``I've been looking forward to it since I've been looking at the weather forecast for a week.I was very moved to be able to see the pandas.It looks like I'm going to have a good time in the future.'' ” he said.
Masato Nakajima, director of the Akashi City Astronomical Science Museum, said, ``I was moved. It's been seven years since I've been able to see this much properly, so I'm deeply moved.The excitement is exceptional, so I want to continue holding events in the future.'' .