International Astronomical Center

In this page:-

• When to Observe ?
• Observing the Crescent
• The First Day in Different Countries
• The Accuracy of The Astronomical Calculations.

The geocentric new Moon will occur on Thursday 09 September 1999, at 22:02 UT. The program Moon Calculator by Dr. Monzur Ahmed -according to Ilyas' criterion- showed that the crescent will be visible by naked eyes on 10 September some where starting from Western Africa. And so, countries west of this area (within the parabola) will be able to see the crescent on this day. However, using telescopes, the crescent could be seen in more eastern areas. On the other hand, countries outside the parabola will see the crescent by naked eyes on the next day (11 September). Consequently, arrange to observe the crescent after the sunset of 10 or 11 September. Kindly click on the below icon to see the visibility parabola as plotted by the program Moon Calculator

Results of seeing the crescent, and the first day of Jumada Ath-Thani in different countries will be added here 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.

• India: ICOP member, Dr. Sultan Ismail said: "The weather in Chennai India has been cloudy and could not see the crescent with the eye."

• Kuwait: ICOP member, Dr. Nidhal Guessoum said: "Congratulations on catching that crescent; I here in Kuwait didn't see anything, although I didn't observe carefully and continuously enough to consider my attempt a true observation."

• Saudi:
  • ICOP member, Mr. Saleh Al-Saab mentioned that he didn't see the crescent even with 8-inch telescope.

  • ICOP member, Mr. Hani Al-Dalee' said: "I tried to observe the new moon but with no use because it was cloudy and hazy here."

• Jordan: JAS DID see the crescent. Kindly click here to read the report.

• South Africa:
  • ICOP member, Mr. Hashim Salie said: "Very overcast conditions, and no crescent moon was sighted anywhere in South Africa. The 1st of Jamadith Thanee 1420 was declared to be Sunday, 12 September 1999."

  • ICOP member, Dr. John Caldwell of the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), mentioned that the sky was cloudy, and so he could not see the crescent.

• UK: ICOP member, Dr. Monzur Ahmed sent the below report.

  Moonsighting report from Birmingham, UK
  ---------------------------------------

  10th Sept 99 - no sighting attempt made

  11th Sept 99- we had been experiencing some unusually good weather recently. Unfortunately, tonight there was a thick band of cloud on the western horizon. I went out with a pair of 8 x 56 binoculars but the clouds prevented any possible sighting.

  Wasalaam.

• Canada: ICOP member, Mr. Mohammad Farooq said: "Friday September 10, in Hamilton Ontario the western horizon was cloudy, at local sun set time. I tried to see the crescent by binoculars and naked eyes, but it was not seen."

• USA: Mr. Khalid Shaukat said: "It was seen after a special preparation, and with the binocular in Washington DC on September 10, 1999, and was not seen with the naked eye."

  Saturday 11 September

• Iran: ICOP member, Mr. Asadollah Khoddam Mohammadi said: "I saw the new moon on the evening of Saturday 11 September at 19:22 local time (+4.5h) bye naked eye."

• Nigeria: ICOP member, Mr. Alabi Isiaq said: "The crescent was seen here (Lagos, Nigeria) on Saturday 11th sept. 1999."

To know about the accuracy of the astronomical calculations, then please click here