International Astronomical Center

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent was on Wednesday 24 December 2003 from Malyasia by ICOP member Mr. Kassim Bahali

Tuesday 23 December 2003:

• South Africa
  • ICOP member Mr. Hashim Salie: Not seen. "No crescent sighted in Cape Town. Shawwaal 1424 carries 30 days."

Wednesday 24 December 2003:

• Australia
  • ICOP member Mr. Hossein Ebrahimpour: Not seen. (Cloudy)

• Malaysia
  • ICOP member Mr. Kassim Bahali: Seen. "The hilal was seen from the Al-Khawarizmi Observatory in Melaka (130km from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) with naked eyes at 19:43 local time. The sky was cloudy with few breaks in between and the hilal was seen through the breaks last for ten minutes then it was covered by the clouds.The hilal observation was live on internet at website : www.alazim.com."

• Pakistan
  • ICOP member Mr Saif Qureshi: Seen. "This is my first report to ICOP. During the day on 24 December 2003, Islamabad was covered with fog but later on it was clear enough and the crescent was seen. The crescent moon was very narrow but was visible with naked eyes about 20 minutes after sunset. It was on the lower right side of the shining Venus. I then used a 7x50 binocular and the moon was much clearer to watch. It was visible for about 20 minutes before disappearing into thick haze just above horizon."

• Iran
  • ICOP member Mr. Alireza Mehrani: Seen.
  • ICOP member Mr. Reza Pazhouhesh: Not seen. (cloudy)
  • ICOP member Mr. Mohammad Hosein Almasi: Seen.

• Kuwait
  • ICOP member Mr. Hussain Khshaish: Seen. " In Kuwait on Wed 24 dec 2003 we could sight the crescent .First I sighted venus at the arrival of the site at 16:44 then I saw the crescent with binocular at 16:55 then our local sunset at 16:56 then we sighted the crescent with naked eyes at 17:06 then the crescent disappeared from naked eye sight at 17:47 in the glare of a flood light of the shuwaikh port then laost from binocular sight at 17:47 then our local moon set at 17:58 as per Moon calc .using the G.P.S was uesfull and accurate in determining the azimuth of the crescent ."

• Saudi Arabia
  • ICOP member Mr. Anwar Al-muhammad: Seen. "I with 5 parsons tried to sight the new crescent of Tualqwadah-24, 20 minutes before the time of sun set in Wednesday, 24 December 2003, in the eastern area of Saudi Arabia “Al-Aujam- 26:33N, 49:47E” at the observatory place of Qatif Astronomy Society (QAS). We used a computerized 10” LX-200, GPS, telescope. The western horizon was hazy, so that the appearent sunset was 12 minutes before the actual time (4:54pm). Alhamdolellah we could see the crescent only with a telescope and with view finder but not with a naked eye."

• Syria
  • ICOP member Mr. Taalib Abu Hamzah: Seen. "Three of us sighted the moon outside Damascus Wednesday at 4:58 p.m. at an altitude of ~5 to 6 degrees."

• Algeria
  • ICOP member Mr. Bankih Kacem: Seen. "Dul Kida 1424 crescent was seen from Merkich/Beni Isguen."

• Kenya
  • ICOP member Mr. Ali Darani: Seen.

• Germany
  • ICOP member Mr. Gerhard Ahmad Kaufmann: Seen. "Crescent was seen by binoculars shortly after sunset between thin streaks of clouds, which were magnificently glowing in orange-reddish light from the sunset. Seeing it by naked eyes was only possible some time later, after the crescent had passed through these cloud streaks. The cold winter air was so clear that the crescent could be followed by binoculars until he sank behind the horizon line."

Thursday 25 December 2003:

• Australia
  • ICOP member Mr. Hossein Ebrahimpour: Seen.

Wednesday 24 December 2003 : -

1. Kuwait
2. Saudi Arabia

Thursday 25 December :-

1. Australia
2. Malaysia
3. Iran
4. Jordan