International Astronomical Center

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent was on Thursday 11 July from Brunei by Mr. Mahadi Mohamad Tahir. The crescent was also seen on this day from Iran, Kuwait, Saudi, Jordan, Morocco, South Africa, Nigeria, Germany, and USA.

Wednesday 10 July

• Singapore: ICOP member, Mr. Muhammad Ridhwan said: "According to the Singapore Islamic calendar that have been done by Muis, the new month of Jamadil Awal falls on 12 July 2002 Friday."

• Kuwait: ICOP member, Mr. Hussain Khushaish said: "As expected the crescent was NOT seen on Wednesday 10 July 2002 even with 20X60 binocular and clear sky."

Thursday 11 July

• Brunei: ICOP member, Mr. Mahadi Mohamad Tahir said: "The thin crescent was first seen by theodolite at 18:56 (alt : 7 deg 51m / age : 24hrs 29m)and then followed by LX-200 telescope and binocular. The crescent was seen by naked eyes about 10 minutes later when the sky got darker. The first day of JamadilAwal starts Friday, 12 July 2002."

• Iran:

  1. ICOP member, Mr. Saeed Janghorban mentioned said: "The sky of west horizon was partly cloudy (about 40 percent) but the position of crescent was in between clouds therefore we could observe it very clear, even before sunset. At this observation Mr. Alireza Mehrani, Leila and Soheila Mir Shamshirgaran (other ICOP members) took part."

  2. ICOP member, Mr. AliReza Mehrani said:

     "Esfahan, Iran
     Longitude = 51:40 E
     Latitude  =  32:40 N
     Elevation = 1500 meters
     
     Local Sunset at   8:02 p.m. 11 June 2002 (behins clouds)
     UT Time and Date of Sunset = 3:32 p.m. 11 June 2002
     
     Crescent first observed through  12x70 binoculars:
     Time     =    8:00 p.m. ( by Alireza Mehrani)
     
     Crescent first observed with the naked eye:
     Time     =    8:10 p.m. (by ICOP member Leyla Mir Shamshirgaran)
     
     Final observation with naked eye:
     Time     =    8:30 p.m. 
     
     Observers: 4 ICOP members (Alireza Mehrani, Saeid Janghorban, Leyla & Soheyla Mir
     Shamshirgaran), 4 Mahtab members (Mohammad Rahimi, Malihe Salehi, Meysam Chitsaz, Reyhane
     Azad), 4 members of Adib Astronomical Society."
     

• Kuwait: ICOP member, Mr. Hussain Khushaish said: "ON THURSDAY 11 JULY 2002 I SAW THE CRESCENT FIRST WITH 20X60 BINOCULAR AT 19:03 (OUR LOCAL SUNSET AT 18:50 ) AND WITH NAKED EYES AT 19:16 UNTIL 19:32 AND WITH THE BINOCULAR FIXED ON TRIPOD UNTIL 19:40, THAT IS 20 MINUTES BEFORE MOONSET WHICH MEANS THAT IT WAS HAZY ONLY IN THE LAST 3-4 DEGREES."

• Saudi: ICOP member, Mr. Anwar Al Muhammad said: "I with another four participants sighted the new crescent of Jamadah I, in 11 July. After we decide its position (by using Distance Suns, software) at the sunset time, we saw a typical new crescent 15 minutes after sun set by naked eyes, then by 60X telescope. I believed, there were no doubt among astronomers, that that is the first crescent."

• Jordan: ICOP member, Mohammad Odeh said: "The crescent was easily seen by naked eyes from both; Amman and Wadi Rum.

• Algeria: ICOP member, Mr. Bankih Bankacem said: "It was cloudy at the western horizon, we have just observed Venus."

• Morocco: ICOP member, Dr. Abdelkhalek Cheddadi said: "The crescent of Jumada I was observed on Thursday, according to a statement by Awqaf Ministery. 1st of Jumada I 1423 in Morocco is officially : Friday, July 12, 2002. Wassalam."

• South Africa: ICOP member, Mr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim Snr said: "The Hilaal for Jamadil Ula 1423 was sighted from various locations in Southern Africa after sunset on 11 July 2002. I was at a sighting point at Camps Bay, approximately 12 km southwest of Cape Town. I sighted the very visible Hilaal at 20 degrees north and at an altitude of 6.5 degrees at local time 18h17.(Thursday 11/07/2002). Sunset was at 17h53. It was officially announced that the 1 st of Jamadil Ula 1423 will correspond with Friday, 12 July 2002."

• Nigeria: ICOP member, Mr. Usman Dukku said: "The crecsent was sighted by a large number of people, including me, here in Bauchi without any difficulty."

• Germany:
  1. ICOP member, Mr. Gerhard Ahmad Kaufmann mentioned that the crescent was seen by naked eyes. Congratulation Br. Kaufmann :-).

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Kadir Yucel mentioned that it was cloudy.

• USA:

  1. ICOP member, Mr. Gulamabbas Khakoo said: "Sighted the crescent with naked eye for the month of JAMADI-AL-OULA this evening of July 11th, 2002 in Buena Park (30 miles south of Los Angeles), California. Local Time-20:20 hrs; Top horn between 12 & 1 and bottom horn between 7 & 8. The crescent was on left side of sunset. Visibility was very clear. May ALLAH S.W.T grant us Maghferat for our short comings. With Salaams and Dua's."

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Khalid Fituri mentioned that he was able to see the crescent by naked eyes.

  3. ICOP member, Mr. Muhammad Hafiz said: "New Crescent observation in Opa Locka, Florida, USA on 10th and 11th July, 2002 was impossible due to rainy clouds and thunder storm presenting the entire week."

Thursday 11 July:-

1. Kuwait
2. Saudi

Friday 12 July:-

1. Brunei
2. Singapore
3. Iran
4. Jordan
5. Morocco
6. South Africa
7. USA
8. Guyana