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International Astronomical Center

ICOP

Visibility of Ramadan Crescent
(1429 AH)



Last Updated 03 November 2008
In This Page:-


When to Observe Ramadan Waxing (NEW) Crescent ?

The geocentric conjunction (Geocentric New Moon) will occur Inshalla on (Saturday 30 August 2008) at 19:58 UT.

Sighting the new crescent on (Saturday 30 August 2008) and (Sunday 31 August 2008) is shown in the below graphs using the program Accurate Times by Mohammad Odeh according to Odeh criterion. Where:-

Saturday 30 August 2008

Sunday 31 August 2008

According to the Universal Hejric Calendar (UHC), which is based on the calculated crescent visibility, the start of this month in the Eastern Region will be on Monday 01 September, and in the Western Region will be on Monday 01 September as well.

- Results of seeing the crescent, and the first day of the month in different countries will be added here Inshalla as we receive the reports from ICOP's members. If you wish to be a member in ICOP, or to know more about it, kindly click here.

Ramadan Waxing (NEW) Crescent Observation Results

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent -after sunset- was on Sunday 31 August 2008 by ICOP member Mr. Ashraf Dockrat from South Africa, the crescent was also seen on this day from Namibia, USA and Chile.

Sunday 31 August 2008:

Monday 01 September 2008:

  • Brunei Darussalam: Seen: ICOP member, Mr. Mahadi Tahir said: "The crescent can be seen easily inspite of cloudy at western horizon. The crescent was seen just after the sunset with the telescope and followed by naked eyes shortly after seen by telescope. 1st day of Ramadhan starts on 2nd Sept 2008."

  • Sri Lanka: Seen: ICOP member, Dr. Aqil Ahmad Sharifuddeen said: "Crescent was seen in most part of the island. The first day of Ramadan is the 2nd of September."

  • Pakistan:
    1. Hazy: ICOP member Mr. Tahir Gul Hasan said: "Observed from sunset until 2005 LT, hazy western horizon prevented me from observing the Ramadan crescent."

    2. Cloudy: ICOP member Dr. Saif Qureshi said: "About 25 people gathered on the roof of a 5 storey building in Islamabad to watch the hilal for the month of Ramadan. Western horizon was cloudy and the hilal was not seen despite attempts to observe it using binoculars and telescopes. However, the hilal has been sighted in other parts of Pakistan and the first day of Ramadan is on 2nd September 2008."

  • Iran:
    1. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Kambiz Khaleghi mentioned that he was able to see the crescent by telescope from Tehran city, and the sky was hazy.

    2. Hazy: ICOP member Mr. Kian Heidari said: "On Monday the weather was cloudy and rainy in Tonekabon. I took a trip to Tehran. the weather was clear in Tehran but in sunset some dust was there. The hillal was tried by both naked eye and binoculars unfortunately was NOT seen. CSCOG."

  • Nigeria: Seen: ICOP member Imam Majolagbe Monsuru said: "I and some brothers began sighting the crescent by 18:55 though it was cloudy but was seen by 19:18"

  • Germany: Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Gerhard Ahmad Kaufmann mentioned that it was totally cloudy.

  • USA: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Javad Torabinejad from (Christiansburg, VA) said: "This evening we sighted the moon in Christiansburg, VA at 7:49 (sunset 7:49). I located Venus and then looked for the moon. Due to the haze, I was unable to sight Mercury and Mars."

ICOP Comment on Crescent Sighting Claims on Sunday 31 August 2008

ICOP Scientific Committee discussed the claims of Ramadan crescent sighting on Sunday 31 August 2008, and below is a short statement from the Scientific Committee:-

ICOP’s Scientific Committee’s comments on the Hilal Sightings of Sunday, August 31, 2008

There were several claims that the hilal of Ramadhan 1429 AH was seen in various parts of the world on Sunday, August 31, 2008 after sunset local time. ICOP’s scientific committee would like to thank all those who have conducted observations and sent in their reports. The sightings reported from Australia, Indonesia, Algeria, Tunisia, and Senegal require some astronomical checking and reviewing and some comments. In these countries, the moon was just about 5 degrees, or less, above the western horizon and its lag time (time difference between moonset and sunset) about 20-30 minutes, or less, at the time of local sunset. Astronomically speaking, it is very difficult to see a crescent (with a telescope) and quite impossible to see it (with unaided eye) under such conditions. The ICOP’s SC has reviewed these claims and made the following remarks:

  1. Australia: Not only are the astronomical parameters (lag time, age, altitude, etc.) extreme in this reported sighting, but the weather conditions (patches of clouds above the western horizon) strongly indicate that it is very unlikely that the hilal was sighted with the unaided eye in this instance.
  2. Indonesia:No details of the observations and of the weather condition have been submitted. The observations were claimed to have been made with naked eyes. Again, the extreme nature of the observations makes it difficult to accept without corroborating evidence.
  3. Algeria: No astronomical information was provided for the claimed observations, although the official report seemed to imply naked-eye sightings. Since the astronomical calculations indicated that even by telescopes positive observations would have been difficult, these claims cannot be scientifically accepted.
  4. Tunisia: The report from Tunisia did not even clearly state where the observation was made, i.e. from inside or outside of Tunisia, and no information was provided on the conditions of observations.
  5. Senegal: No astronomical details were provided (e.g. the crescent’s shape, the exact time and length of the observation, etc.). Moreover, the western horizon was a substantially cloudy and the crescent was said to have been seen between the clouds. With the above information on the claimed sightings, these observations must be subject to further scientific scrutiny. In astronomical terms, these sightings need more details. Further investigation is needed to correctly check these hilal sightings.
Dr. Ilias Fernini
Head of the Scientific Committee

The OFFICIAL First Day in Different Countries

Sunday 31 August 2008:

  1. Libya (Conjunction before Dawn)
  2. Nigeria (Claim of Sighting)

Monday 01 September 2008:

  1. Saudi (30 Days of Shaban)
  2. UAE (30 Days of Shaban)
  3. Qatar (30 Days of Shaban)
  4. Bahrian (30 Days of Shaban)
  5. Kuwait (30 Days of Shaban)
  6. Iraq (30 Days of Shaban)
  7. Yemen (30 Days of Shaban)
  8. Palestine (30 Days of Shaban)
  9. Lebanon (30 Days of Shaban)
  10. Syria (30 Days of Shaban)
  11. Egypt (30 Days of Shaban)
  12. Sudan (30 Days of Shaban)
  13. USA (ISNA, Conjunction Before Sunset in Mecca)
  14. Australia
  15. Indonesia
  16. Malaysia
  17. Korea
  18. Jordan
  19. Somalia
  20. Tunis
  21. Algeria
  22. Kenya
  23. South Africa
  24. Bosnia and Herzegovi
  25. UK
  26. Norway

Tuesday 02 September 2008:

  1. Brunei Darussalam
  2. Bangladesh
  3. India
  4. Pakistan
  5. Iran
  6. Oman
  7. Morocco
  8. Mauritania
  9. Senegal
  10. Tanzania
  11. USA (ICNA and others).
  12. Trinidad and Tobago

ICOP Official Statement

  • Kindly Click Here to read ICOP official statement (Arabic).

    When to Observe Shaban Waning (OLD) Crescent ?

    The geocentric conjunction (Geocentric New Moon) will occur Inshalla on (Saturday 30 August 2008) at 19:58 UT.

    Sighting the OLD crescent on (Saturday 30 August 2008) and on (Friday 29 August 2008) is shown in the below graphs using the program Accurate Times by Mohammad Odeh according to Odeh criterion. Where:-

    • It is impossible to see the OLD crescent from the areas located under the red color. Because either the Moon on this day rises after the Sunrise and/or the topocentric conjunction occurs before the Sunrise.
    • The crescent is expected to be seen by optical aid only from the areas located under the blue color.
    • The crescent is expected to be seen by optical aid from the areas located under the magenta color. In these areas the crescent could be seen by naked eye if the atmospheric conditions are superb and the observer is experienced.
    • The crescent is expected to be easily visible by naked eye from the areas located under the green color.
    • The crescent can not be seen from uncolored areas, even though the Moon rises in these locations before the Sunrise and the topocentric conjunction occurs after the Sunrise, but the Moon is not sufficiently illuminated in order to be seen as crescent even by optical aid.
    • Kindly notice that the below graph shows the possibility of seeing the crescent from areas between 60 degrees north of Equator down to 60 degrees south of Equator.

    Saturday 30 August 2008

    Friday 29 August 2008

    Shaban Waning (OLD) Crescent Observation Results

    Saturday 30 August 2008:

    • Iran: Not Seen/Hazy: ICOP member Mr. Mohammad Zahed Aram mentioned that he couldn't see the crescent by binocular from Saravan city, and the sky was hazy.

    • Saudi: Hazy/Not Seen: ICOP member Mr. Majid Marzani mentioned that he didn't see the crescent by binocular and it was hazy.

    • Algeria: Hazy/Not Seen: ICOP member Mr. Bankih Kacem said: "The old crescent of Chaban 1429 wasn't seen, this Saturday 30/08/2008, from Bouamiyed. Eastern horizon was very hazy. In the photo you can watch the sun difficultly behind the haze."


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