International Astronomical Center

The geocentric conjunction (Geocentric New Moon) will occur Inshalla on (Saturday 27 May 2006) at 04:02 UT.

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent was on Saturday 27 May 2006 from USA.

Saturday 27 May 2006:

• Iraq: ICOP member Mr. Bacil Moudhaffar said: "Please note the the crescent was not seen even with optical aid on Sat. 27/5/2006 form Baghdad-Iraq."

• Algeria: ICOP member Mr. Bankih Kacem said: "Banouh, Omar and Bachir was tried to observe the Djumada I 1427 crescent but it was not seen. From Merkich station the western horizon was hazy. They have seen Mercury from 20:10 to 20:15 LT."

• Morocco: ICOP member Mr. Othman Fadli mentioned it was cloudy.

• Spain: ICOP member Mr. Muhammad del Pozo mentioned that the crescent was not seen by naked eye despite the clear sky.

• UK: ICOP member Mr. AbdurRashid Ayoubi said: "It was cloudy although we stayed around for 20 minutes we did not see the crescent."

• USA:

  1. ICOP member Mr. Javad Torabinejad said: " We arrived at the sighting location after sunset when I started scanning the western horizon using a pair of 7x10 binoculars. The binocular sighting was at 8:58 (sunset 8:32), followed by the naked eye sighting. The crescent was very thin and the horns were on 4:30 and 7:00 o'clock."

  2. ICOP member Mr. Jim Stamm said: "Armed with very precise calculations, I brought my telescope to John Policheck's home, where he had invited a large number of interested observers. After being satisfied (but not positive) of my alignment, I offset from the sun, and waited for the Moon to drift into the field. Not seeing it at the calculated time (about 4:00 p.m. local), I offset to Mercury's declination, and in about 10 minutes picked up the planet. With focus set, I repeated the above process at 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. without seeing the Moon. John had set out several pairs of mounted binoculars, and guests began to arrive, some with their own binoculars and small scopes. John passed out charts showing where to look for the Moon, and coached the picnic guests where to look, based on the location of the setting sun. It set clearly, and the sky, although clearly hazy, looked like it was getting clearer, while at the same time it began to form some clouds. Thinking that my focus requirement would have changed in he past couple of hours, I went back to the sun to begin my procedure again. I was unable to pick up the sunspots through the haze that I had used before. Mild panic set in as I tried to look for Mercury, Sirius, anything that I could use to re-set my focus and setting circles. The R.A. circle was catching the scope's R.A. control, and getting dragged along - I think because of the heat (38، C). As everyone else was scanning with binoculars, and getting encouragement from John, I was looking through my finder, and scanning through the eyepiece, as I began to hear, "I see it!" The first few shouts I assumed were from seeing contrail parts and some of the illuminated forming clouds, but soon, most of the people began shouting, and John was showing the others the more than 100 degree arc through his binoculars. I had to look through John's binoculars, and then back to my scope to verify if my instrument was aimed properly. It was only a few degrees from the Moon's position. I may have scanned through the correct position without detecting the crescent. I am 90% sure that I was carefully focused on the correct position multiple times before sunset, without seeing anything. Although the Moon's image was easily seen by naked eye by many of the guests, I could have gone past Moonset (into a cloud-haze, before actual Moonset time) without ever picking up the image, had it not been for the others picking up the image first, and at a relatively high altitude.

     New Moon Crescent Observation Report
     ===============================
     May 2006
     
     Location     = Tucson, Arizona (USA)
        Longitude =    32 17 01 W
        Latitude  =  -111 03 43 N
        Elevation = 683 meters
        Time Zone = -7.0 hours
     
     Surface conditions at 6:55 p.m. (local)
     Tucson International Airport (805 m):
        Temperature          =    30 degrees Celcius
        Relative Humidity    =    18 percent
        Atmospheric Pressure =  1002 mb
     
     
     From Accurate Times 5.1, By Mohammad Odeh:
     
     * Settings:-
     - Calculations for Jamada Aula 1427 AH Waxing Crescent (New, Evening).
     - Crescent Visibility on: Saturday  27/05/2006 CE
     - Calculations are Done at Best Time at:  19:56:53 LT
     - Calculations are Topocentric.
     - USA (AZ) Oro Valley, Long: -110:57:52.2, Lat: 32:25:13.5, Ele: 842.0, Zone:-7.00
     - Summer time is: Off
     - Height above mean sea-level affects rise and set events.
     - Refraction Settings: Temperature: 18 °C   Pressure: 1010 mb
     - Delta T: 64.92 Second(s)
     ==============================================================================
     
     - T. Conjunction Time: 26/05/2006 CE, 23:08:48 LT
     - Julian Date at Time of Calculations: 2453883.62283
     
     - Sunset:  19:28:29 LT                    T. Moon Age:   +20H 48M 04S
     - Moonset: 20:32:22 LT                    Moon Lag Time: +01H 03M 52S
     
     - T. Moon Right Ascension: +05H 02M 17S   T. Moon Declination: +27°: 14':33"
     - T. Sun Right Ascension:  +04H 19M 16S   T. Sun Declination:  +21°: 25':21"
     
     - T. Moon Longitude: +77°:09':35"         T. Moon Latitude: +04°:26':34"
     - T. Sun Longitude:  +66°:39':48"         T. Sun Latitude:  -00°:00':04"
     
     - T. Moon Altitude: +04°:14':37"          T. Moon Azimuth: +299°:46':41"
     - T. Sun Altitude:  -07°:04':49"          T. Sun Azimuth:  +300°:59':25"
     
     - T. Relative Altitude: +11°:19':27"      T. Elongation:  +11°:23':19"
     - T. Relative Azimuth:  -01°:12':44"      T. Phase Angle: +168°:34':58"
     
     - T. Crescent Width: +00°:00':19"         T. Moon Semi-Diameter:   +00°:15':41"
     - T. Illumination:   00.99 %              G. Horizontal Parallax:  +00°:57':30"
     
     - T. Magnitude: -05.12                    G. Distance: 381369.15 Km
     
     - According to Odeh Criteria, using the following values at Best Time:
       * Moon-Sun Topocentric Relative Altitude =+11°:19':27" (11.3°)
       * Topocentric Crescent width = +00°:00':19" (0.31')
       * q = 6.05
     
       * The Crescent Visibility is: Easily Visible By Naked Eye. 
     

Sunday 28 May 2006:

• Malaysia: ICOP member, Mr. Kassim Bahali said: " A group of 60 people of Al-Khawarizmi observatory staffs and students from Kota Bharu tried to observe the hilal with Meade telescope LX200 8", binocular and teodolite but it was not seen because the western sky was cloudy. The first day Jamadil Awal begins on Monday 29 May 2006" "

• Brunei Darussalam: ICOP member, Mr. Hazarry Haji Ali Ahmad said: "Moon sighting was conducted by the Survey Department of Brunei Darussalam and the members of the Brunei Astronomical Society. The New moon was first sighted at 18:43 local time through Meade's ETX 125 telescope and is easily visible to the naked eyes after few minutes."
  
  Jumadal Awwal Crescent
  By Hazarry Haji Ali Ahmad, 28 May 2006

• Iran:
  1. ICOP member Mr. Alireza Mehrani said: "Date: Sun May 28, 2006. Location: Esfahan, Iran ( 32:37N 51:35E). Observer & photographer: Alireza Mehrani. The crescent was seen by naked eyes."
     
     Jumadal Awwal Crescent
     By Alireza Mehrani, 28 May 2006

  2. ICOP member Mr. Majid Marzani said: "The crescent was seen by naked eye in Tehran."

• Saudi: ICOP member Mr. Saleh Al-Saab said: "On Saterday 27 the crescent was NOT seen." Mr. Saab added that he was able to see the crescent by naked eyes on Sunday 28 May 2006.

• Zanzibar:

  1. ICOP member Mr. Zaffar Sheriff said: "Western sky very cloudy at sunset. This gaps of open sky was available, through which bright crescent was clearly seen at 7.02pm."

  2. ICOP member Mr. Hamza Rijal said: "I am please to say The Hilal was sighted in tiny island of Zanzibar on sunday 28 May, 2006. Somehow there is a sort of awarness in my island people are concentrating much to observe the crescent."

• Nigeria:

  1. ICOP member Mr. Muhammed Ya'sin Qamardeen said: "I could not sight the new Hilal today due to cloud sky and according to the information from Damaturu in Yobe state, rain just stop at Magrib time and render the sky cloud. And also Ilorin report indicate negative sighting of the crescent due to cloud sky at the time of Sunset. However One of our brother was blessed with the sight of new crescent this evening of Sunday 29th Rabiul thanni 1427,at Owode onirin Lagos (Amir LajinatulHilal, Ilorin kwara state, Nigeira."

  2. ICOP member Mr. Abdur Rahman Shuaib said: "We could not sight the new Hilal at Ilorin due to cloud sky. Meanwhile our Amir repoted from Lagos that he sight the Hilal of Jumadal Awwal."

• South Africa: ICOP member Dr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim said: "The Jamadal Ula Hilaal was sighted in Cape Town this Sunday evening, 28 May 2006. The thin crescent was first sighted by binoculars (10x50) at local time 15h48 and by naked-eye at 18h02. The official first day of Jamadal Ula 1427 AH in South Africa will correspond to Monday, 29 May 2006.05.28"

• Spain: ICOP member Mr. Muhammad del Pozo mentioned that he was able to see the crescent by naked eyes.

Sunday 28 May 2006:

1. Saudi
2. UAE
3. Jordan
4. Egypt
5. USA

Monday 29 May 2006:

1. Malaysia
2. Brunei Darussalam
3. South Africa
4. Spain

The geocentric conjunction (Geocentric New Moon) will occur Inshalla on (Saturday 27 May 2006) at 04:02 UT.

Friday 26 May 2006:

• Iran: ICOP member Mr. Alireza Mehrani said:

  Date: Fri May 26, 2006
  Location: 200 km West of Esfahan (33:15N 50:05E)
  Time Zone: +3.5
  Observer & photographer: Alireza Mehrani
  First crescent observatin: at 04:36 (LT) through naked eyes
  Final Observation: at 04:42 (LT) through naked eyes (Moon Age -28h 13m)
  

  
  Rabee' Thani Waning Crescent
  By Alireza Mehrani, 26 May 2006

• USA: ICOP member Mr. Jim Stamm said:

  Despite clear skies, correct field, and proper focus, I was not able  to 
  pick up the crescent in my C-8 telescope.
  
  -Jim
  
  From Accurate Times 5.1, By Mohammad Odeh:
  
  * Settings:-
  - Calculations for Rabeea' Thani 1427 AH Waning Crescent (Old, Morning).
  - Crescent Visibility on: Friday  26/05/2006 CE
  - Calculations are Done at User Time at:  05:20:00 LT
  - Calculations are Topocentric.
  - USA (AZ) Oro Valley, Long: -110:57:52.2, Lat: 32:25:13.5, Ele: 842.0, Zone:-7.00
  - Summer time is: Off
  - Height above mean sea-level affects rise and set events.
  - Refraction Settings: Temperature: 18 °C   Pressure: 1010 mb
  - Delta T: 64.92 Second(s)
  ==============================================================================
  
  - T. Conjunction Time: 26/05/2006 CE, 23:08:48 LT
  - Julian Date at Time of Calculations: 2453882.01389
  
  - Moorise: 04:29:11 LT                    T. Moon Age:   -17H 48M 48S
  - Sunrise: 05:14:16 LT                    Moon Lag Time: +00H 45M 05S
  
  - T. Moon Right Ascension: +03H 33M 57S   T. Moon Declination: +22°: 41':49"
  - T. Sun Right Ascension:  +04H 12M 45S   T. Sun Declination:  +21°: 09':11"
  
  - T. Moon Longitude: +56°:38':30"         T. Moon Latitude: +03°:23':06"
  - T. Sun Longitude:  +65°:07':18"         T. Sun Latitude:  -00°:00':06"
  
  - T. Moon Altitude: +07°:34':56"          T. Moon Azimuth: +67°:52':38"
  - T. Sun Altitude:  -00°:45':22"          T. Sun Azimuth:  +64°:09':24"
  
  - T. Relative Altitude: +08°:20':18"      T. Elongation:  +09°:07':36"
  - T. Relative Azimuth:  +03°:43':14"      T. Phase Angle: +170°:51':02"
  
  - T. Crescent Width: +00°:00':12"         T. Moon Semi-Diameter:   +00°:15':58"
  - T. Illumination:   00.64 %              G. Horizontal Parallax:  +00°:58':28"
  
  - T. Magnitude: -04.88                    G. Distance: 375033.74 Km
  
  - According to Odeh Criteria, using the following values at Best Time:
    * Moon-Sun Topocentric Relative Altitude =+08°:18':54" (08.3°)
    * Topocentric Crescent width = +00°:00':13" (0.21')
    * q = 2.46
  
    * The Crescent Visibility is: Visible With Optical Aid, Could Be  Seen By Naked Eye.