International Astronomical Center

The geocentric new Moon will occur Inshalla on Tuesday (21 January 2004), at 21:05 UT.On this day (Tuesday 21 January 2004), it is not possible to see the crescent from anywhere on Earth.

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent was on Thursday 22 January 2004 from Iran by ICOP member Mr. Alireza Mehrani.

Thursday 22 January 2004:

• Indonesia
  • ICOP member Dr. Thomas Djamaluddin: Not seen. "It was raining in Bandung. I was trying to observe hilaal from the minaret of Great Mosque of Bandung, as one of the tallest building in Bandung to be nearest hilaal observation site. On Tuesday, 21 Jan 2004 (29 Dzulqaidah based on wujudul hilaal criterion) I was attending the "Ithbat" meeting in Ministry of Religious Affairs chaired by the minister and attended by "Majlis Ulama", representatives of Islamic organizations, and astronomy experts. It was decided that 1 Dzulhijjah 1425 on Friday 23 Jan 2004 and Eid al Adha on 1 February 2004."

• Malyasia
  • ICOP member Mr. Kassim Bahali: Not seen. "Hilal was not seen at the Al-Khawarizmi in Melaka 150 km from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The western sky was cloudy."

• Brunei
  • ICOP member Mr. Mahadi Mohamad Tahir: Not seen. "Sorry for the late report because I'm waiting for the official announcement from the goverment. On 22/1/2004, a group of Survey Department and Syariah Judges were tried to sight the crescent but due to very thick cloud at the western horizon, no crescent was seen."

• Iran
  • ICOP member Mr. Mostafa Mirsalim : Not seen.
  • ICOP member Mr. Alireza Mehrani: Seen. "Date: January 22, 2004 Location: Bardsir, Kerman State (29:59.64 N 56:43.15 E) Elevation: 2500 meters Observers: Alireza Mehrani, Reza Amirzadeh, Ali Foroughi, Daryoush Zolfaghari Rad, Mohammad Mahdi Yazdizadeh, Ansari. Time zone: +3.5 Local sunset: 17:10:54 LT (Moon Calculator) Local sunset observed: 17:09 (LT) behind High Mountain Crescent first observed with the 15x80 binoculars by Alireza Mehrani: 17:24 (LT).

    After three times of failure in observing the April 2, 2003 evening crescent, June 29, 2003 and August 27, 2003 morning crescent due to unsuitable weather condition, the successful observation of October 26, 2003 (Ramadan 1424) improved, to some extent, hopelessness of these failures. What could complete my total trial in observing the crescent was the trail to observe the evening crescent on January 22nd, 2004.

    After observing the Ramadan crescent I began to study this crescent. My purpose in this observation is to retest the criterions of Yallop and SAAO.

    Since January 12th I regularly have controlled the weather forecast reports. In order to do this observation I had to go from Esfahan to the south or South-East of the country. Therefore, I had to be precise in selecting the observing location and the weather condition of the area. All these caused me to select Kerman State for this purpose. Kerman is located at 650 km east of Esfahan. In order to do this observation we used the following equipment:

  • - Powerful binoculars 27x150 (one set)
  • - Powerful binoculars 20x120 (one set) These binoculars are produced by an Iranian company (Esfahan Optic Industry).
  • - Various other binoculars (15x80, 12x70, 20x60)

    At midnight of January 21st we started for Kerman and were at the destination after seven hours. The place of observation is called Bardsir city (55 km South-West of Kerman). Weather condition in this place was extraordinary for the purpose. Raining of the days earlier had made the weather totally free from dust. I used 15x80 binoculars having fixed it on a tripod. I got the azimuth of the sun during the sunset using the Moon Calculator software, as well as that of the crescent for 17:24. The difference of the two was 5.5 degree. I also used a 7x50 binoculars equipped with a compass. At the moment of the sunset I saw the location of the sunset with this binocular; and then I shifted 5.5 degree towards the left, of course, using the compass of the binoculars. At that point, I determined an index on the horizon and zoomed the 15x80 binoculars to the point. The sunset was 17:09 (LT); and the altitude of mountain in the west horizon was about 0.2 degree. I began to search for the crescent at 17:20. After about three minutes, I felt I was able to see vague signs of the crescent. I focused more at the point and it was at 17:24 when I clearly saw the crescent. The other five accompanying persons, too, succeeded in observing the crescent. I also could observe the crescent using the 27x150 binoculars. The very high quality of the binoculars caused me to see more details about the crescent. The crescent was in one piece, the length of the arc being 105 degree. If I had used these binoculars, I could have definitely observed the crescent much sooner. A friend of mine settled his shooting camera behind the 20x120 binoculars and did the filming of the crescent.

    The suitable weather condition made it possible to observe the crescent till the moonset.

    (R to L) Alireza Mehrani, Reza Amirzadeh, Daryoush Zolfaghari Rad, Ali Foroughi, Ansari, Mohammad Mahdi Yazdizadeh.
    West horizon at 17:11 LT
    Victory

• Saudi Arabia
  • ICOP member Mr. Anwar Al-Muhammad: Not seen. "I with 10 parsons tried to sight the new crescent of Tulhejjah-24, 15 minutes before the time of sun set in Thursday, 22 Jan 2004, in the eastern area of Saudi Arabia “Al-Aujam- 26:33N, 49:47E” at the observatory of Qatif Astronomy Society (QAS). We used a computerized 10” LX-200, GPS, telescope. The western horizon was partially cloudy. So that the sun disappear behind the clouds before it sets. Although we fixed our telescope in a steel bearing and we tested its alignment and resolution with Venues and Mars, but we could not see the crescent through the eye piece. I think because most of the time it pointed to the cloud."

• Jordan
  • ICOP member Dr. Tarek Katbeh: Not seen. (cloudy)

• Syria
  • ICOP member Mr. Taalib Abu Hamzah: Not seen. "Well it was raining and very cloudy here in Damascus on Thursday and Friday. Unable to attempt sighting on either day."

• Algeria
  • ICOP member Mr. Bankih Kacem: Seen. "Dul hidja 1424 crescent was seen from Merkich, Beni Isguen, Algeria. This is a younger crescent observed by our club Amnir. 09 members was present in the station and have observed the crescent by binoculars but just 04 have observed it by naked eyes."

• Morocco
  • ICOP member Prof. Hamid Touma: Not seen. "Yesterday, we have tried to observe the crescent of the Moon but nothing. During the 20's National News TV, it was annonced that the crescent Moon was be observed in the Morocco area."

• South Africa
  • ICOP member Dr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim: Seen.
  • ICOP member Mr. Hashim Salie: Seen. "Hilaal for Thil Hijjah 1424H was scene in Cape Town by numerous crescent observers."

• Nigeria
  • ICOP member Mr. Muhammad Yasin: Not seen.
  • ICOP member Mr. Usman Duhhu: Not seen. "Thirteen of us attempted sighting the crescent in a group in the outskirts of the city(Bauchi) but we could not see it. The horizon was cloudy and dusty."

• Senegal
  • ICOP member Dr. Abdoulaye Gaye: Seen. "The new crescent was seen in several towns and all around the country side."

• Norway
  • ICOP member Eng. Muhammad Imran Mushtaq: Not seen. (cloudy)

• UK
  • ICOP member Mr. Arshad Baig: Not seen. "It has been rainy or cloudy for the last few day."

• USA
  • ICOP member Dr. Javad Torabinejad: Seen. "Although the sky was hazy with thin clouds, the moon was rather easy to see."
  • ICOP member Dr. Muhammad Hafiz: Seen. "I tried to oberve the Hilal on Wednesday, 21st January, 2004 in Opa-Locka, Florida USA after sunset. No Hilal was observed. On Thursday, 22th January, 2004 I observed the Hilal after sunset at (6:24 PM) in Opa-Locka, Florida, USA. The Hilal observation was a easy one. Group Observation from Guyana Sultan Hafiz reported the Hilal was seen by him and members of the Rose Hall Town Masjid and Islamic Center after sunset at 6:15 PM on Thursday, 22th January, 2004."
  • ICOP member Dr.Mohibullah Durrani: Not seen. (cloudy)

Friday 23 January 2004 : -

1. Australia
2. Indonesia
3. Malyasia
4. Saudi Arabia
5. Jordan
6. Morocco
7. South Africa
8. Senegal
9. Norway
10. UK
11. USA
12. Canada
13. Guyana

Saturday 24 January 2004 :-

1. Brunei