International Astronomical Center

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent was on Thursday 17 May 2007 by ICOP member Mr. Bankih Kacem from Algeria, the crescent was also seen on this day from other locations in Algeria, France, Germany, UK and USA.

Wednesday 16 May 2007:

• UK: Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Abdurrashid Ayoubi from Kettering mentioned it was cloudy

Thursday 17 May 2007:

• Indonesia: Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. AR Sugeng Riyadi mentioned it was cloudy.

• Philippines: Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Abu Ammar Mama Mangorangca said: "In Marawi City, Philippines, we did not see the Hilal this evening (17 May 2007) mainly because there was an overcast sky. We are experiencing a season of rains during most afternoons which usually last into the evening hours. We are in a plateau ringed by mountain ranges. Our location is 8.005 degrees north, 124.283 degrees east, 740 meters above sea level, 8 hours ahead of UTC. For today's Hilal observation of the start of Jumady al-Awwal 1428, the Topocentric New Moon is 2:29 am (17 May 2007).

• Tanzania: Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Zaffar Sheriff said: "Western sky was very cloudy. Six of us were not successful to sight the under 20hour crescent."

• Yemen: Not Seen: ICOP member Mr. Saleh Belfakih mentioned that he didn't see the crescent by naked eye, and it was clear sky.

• UAE: Hazy: ICOP member Mr. Mohammad Odeh said: "The western horizon was hazy, where the Sun disappeared about 10 minutes before its actual sunset time. Venus was easily visible by naked eye, while Mercury was seen with difficulty through 7X50 binoculars about 25 minutes after sunset. As for the crescent it was not seen neither by naked eye nor by binoculars. It was clear that the hazy sky is the reason why the crescent was not seen. I was observing with my wife and my friend Sameh Al-Ashi and his wife."

• Kuwait: Hazy: ICOP member Mr. Hussain Khushaish said: "In Kuwait on Thursday on 17 May 2007 I could not sight the crescent. It was very dusty that I could not see the sun most of the day, even Venus was not seen after sunset."

• Algeria:

  1. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Bankih Kacem said: "The Jumada I 1428 crescent was easily seen from Merkiche station in Beni Isguen. The western horizon was partly cloudy. Venus an Mercury was also seen."
     
     The Crescent from Algeria on Thursday 17 May 2007.

  2. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Houcine Chikh Aissa said: "Two persons were present in N'tissa station with one binoculars. The new crescent of Jumadal Awwal 1428 was seen by naked eyes and by a binocular, member of the club CHIKH AMMI SAID AMATEUR OF ASTRONOMIE. Jupiter and Meurcury were seen by naked eyes.""

• Nigeria: Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Muhammed Ya'sin Qamardeen said: "Cloud might have been the reason why new Hilal is not visible. I have not got report from other post within Nigeria". Mr. Qamardeen added that he tried to see the crescent by naked eye only and it was totally cloudy.

• Germany: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Ibrahim Leibfried said: "I saw the Crescent together with my son by by naked eyes. It was very good to see. The sky was without clouds."

• France: Seen: ICOP member Dr. Jaouad Alkhaliki said: "I send you my personal crescent sighting on Thursday 17th 8:30 pm Paris Time from Montpellier in France. I also took some pictures."

• UK:

  1. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti from Oxford said: "Positive sighting in Oxford. The Jumada al-Ula crescent was sighted at the end of the 29th day of Rabi' al-Akhir (Thursday, 17 May 2007). It was first sighted by us at 21.32. There were some clouds on the western horizon and the orientation of the crescent was 150 degrees. This positive sighting means that the first day of Jumada al-Ula in the UK is tomorrow, Friday, the 18th of May. Allahu akbar, hilAlu khayrin wa-rushdin x3!"

  2. Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Sulayman Gani from London mentioned that he did not see the crescent and it was partly cloudy. Mr. Gani added: "I received news from Shaykh Afifi that the crescent was sighted in Oxford."

• USA:

  1. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Javad Torabinejad from (Blacksburg, VA) mentioned that he saw the crescent by naked eye.

  2. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Milad Ali Ershaghi from (Claremont, CA) said: "This evening, alhamdulillah I was blessed to see the new crescent moon at 8:11:53 pm just outside of my home - with no optical aids, purely a naked-eye sighting. Sunset time was 7:47 pm and moonset time was 9:28 pm, so the moon was very clearly visible when I first saw it. I continued to observe the crescent moon until about 8:23 pm, at which time I went indoors. The sky was still bright when I saw the moon, as Maghrib had not yet exited, and the lower-most portion of the moon appeared illumined as a crescent, slightly tilted upwards on the right side. My compass read that the moon was positioned approximately 76 degrees to the west of magnetic north, or approximately 64 degrees to the west of true north. We completed 29 days of the month of Rabi' al-thani, and now we begin with the first of Jumada al-awwal on Friday, May 18th, 2007."

  3. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Zaheer Uddin said: "The Hilal for the month of Jumadi al-Awwal, 1428 was sighted on Thursday evening, Rabi al-Thani 29. Therefore, the first of Jumadi al-Awwal is tomorrow, Friday, May 18, 2007."

  4. Seen: Dr. Youssef Ismail from (San Jose, CA) said: "I am reporting that the hilal of Jamaad al-Ula was seen this evening at 8:15 pm PDT from my typical summer location, Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve. It was only a few minutes after sunset at an Azimuth of 280 degrees magnetic and at an altitude of about 6 finger widths above the horizon. The skies were clear. The limbs of the hilal were pointing up at 3 and 7 o'clock. Unfortunately, I was the only adult Muslim there, but I did have my three children moon-sighters in training with me and they all saw it as well."

  5. Seen: ICOP member, Mr. Gulamabbas Khakoo from (Buena Park, CA) said: "Sighted the crescent on Thursday evening May 17, 2007 here in Buena Park California with naked eye. The sighting was very easy and the local time was 08:15pm."

• Guyana: Cloudy: ICOP member Dr. Muhammad Hafiz said: "Due to the rainy season in Guyana, Hilaal observation on May 16 and 17, 2007 was made impossible as a result of rainy clouds on the horizon."

Friday 18 May 2007:

1. Indonesia
2. UAE
3. Jordan
4. UK
5. USA

Saturday 19 May 2007:

1. Tanzania

The geocentric conjunction (Geocentric New Moon) will occur Inshalla on (Wednesday 16 May 2007) at 19:27 UT.

Wednesday 16 May 2007:

• Iran: Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Hasan Zakeri mentioned "The crescent wasn't seen because the horizon was cloudy. Visibility of the crescent was tried by naked eye, but wasn't seen. Visibility of the crescent was tried by binoculars, but wasn't seen. Telescopic observation wasn't tried."