International Astronomical Center

Old Moon Crescent Observability
===============================
December 2004

Location  = Tucson, Arizona (USA)
             San Pedro Vista (Mt. Lemmon)
             Longitude = 110.69 W
             Latitude  =  32.4 N
             Elevation = 2256 meters

Surface conditions at the University of Arizona (750 m):
    Temperature          =  58 degrees Fahrenheit
    Relative Humidity    =  37 percent
    Atmospheric Pressure =  931.5 mb

Topocentric values from “Accurate Times”:
    Time from new at 7:06 a.m. (MST) = 12 hours 41 minutes
    Moon lag time = 18 minutes
    Elongation from sun = 7.02 degrees
    Crescent width = 8 arcseconds
    Illumination = 0.38%

I was NOT able to see the crescent, even through a telescope.  Although 
the sky looked good (until after sunrise), seeing was hampered by 
elevated humidity.  I was positive about having the correct field in 
the 55x eyepiece of my C-8 telescope, and the focus was pretty close 
(but maybe not absolutely exact).

Local moonrise at   6:59 a.m. (MST)  11 Dec. 2004
UT Time and Date of moonrise = 13:59 11 Dec. 2004

Local sunrise at   7:16 a.m. (MST)  11 Dec. 2004
UT Time and Date of sunrise = 14:16 11 Dec. 2004

Observers:         Jim Stamm and John Polacheck

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent was on Monday 13 December 2004 from Kuwait by ICOP member Mr. Hussain Khshaish.

Sunday 12 December 2004:

• Iran: ICOP member Mr. Majid Marzani said: "The western horizon in tehran was cloudy and rain."

• Iraq: ICOP member Mr. Bacil Moudhaffar mentioned that the sky was cloudy.

• Saudi Arabia ICOP member Mr. Saleh Al-Saab said: "As you know they asked to try to see the crescent on Saturday 11 December 2004, as it is concedered the 29th!! Hopefolly, no positive reports."

• Algeria ICOP member Mr. Bankih Kacem said: "Mr. Brahim Abdelaziz has treid to observe the Dul Kida 1425 crescent from Merkich station but he has not seen it."

• Nigeria
  1. ICOP member Mr. Usman Duhhu said: "Nine members of the Moonsighting Society of Nigeria attempted sighting the crescent at Bauchi but they did not see it. I attempted sighting it at my village, about 160 km northeast of Bauchi, but I could not see it either."

  2. ICOP member Mr. Muhammed Ya'sin Qamardeen said: "We did not sight the new crescent tonight here in Abuja. Likewise in phone chat with peoples from this location within Nigeria indicated that no one from the groups sight the new crescent. The location are Sokoto, Kano, Ilorin, and Lagos. Authority here have start Dhul Qadah today after counted Shawwal to be thirty."

  3. ICOP member Mr. Bashir Muhammad Sani said: "The age of the moon here at Zaria, Northern Nigeria is about 16 hours, we tried seeing the crescent but couldnt probably because the moon is too young to be seen with the naked eye."

• Germany: ICOP member Mr. Moataz Shatta said: "Crescent sighting on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2004 / 29. Shawwal 1425 h was in Mainz NOT possible cause it was very cloudy. Otherwise the moonset occured in Mainz 5 Min. and 7 sec. before the sunset. Monday, Dec 13, 2004 will be the 30th of Shawwal 1425."

• USA
  1. ICOP member, Mr. Gulamabbas Khakoo said: "Unable to sight the crescent on the evening of Sunday, Dec. 12, 2004; Here in Buena Park. SE of Los Angeles (California) local time 5:05pm"

  2. ICOP member Dr. Javad Torabinejad said: "Except for a small opening in the western horizon, the sky was clouday."

Monday 13 December 2004:

• Iran: ICOP member, Mr. Pouya Boroujerdi said: "The sky above the whole city of Qom (135 Kms SW of Tehran) was totally cloudy, so I could not see the Moon."

• Kuwait ICOP member Mr. Hussain Khshaish said: "In Kuwait, on Monday 13 Dec 2004 , I saw the crescent just after starting to search for the crescent first by binocular at 16:42 LT then at 16:46 with naked eyes which was 5 minutes before our local sunset at 16:51."

• Iraq: ICOP member Mr. Bacil Moudhaffar mentioned that he could see the crescent by naked eyes.

• Nigeria

  1. ICOP member Mr. Muhammed Ya'sin Qamardeen said: "All report from countryside indicated positive sighting. Dr Uthman Dukku confirmed the sigthing in Bauchi."

  2. ICOP member Mr. Bashir Muhammad Sani said: "The crescent was seen and it was a big crescent bearing in mind that it was 40 hours old at that time. Some members of the observation team were however amazed at the size of the crescent and its duration on the horizon (the moon did not set untill after Isha prayers and wondered how we could convince doubting thomases that today is actually the 30th day of Shawwal and not the first or even second day of Dhul-Qida. The official date is Dhul-Qida."

  3. ICOP member Mr. Aminu Luqman mentioned that the crescent was seen by naked eyes.

• Senegal: ICOP member Dr. Abdoulaye Gaye said: "The Senegalese National Committee in charge of Hilal sighting has stated that the official beginning of Dzul Khadah is Tuesday December 14th. The hilal was not seen anywhere in the entire territory Sunday 12 after sunset. I have sighted with 3 fellows the Hilal yesterday Monday 13 at 7.00 pm in Dakar, so did many persons in different towns and villages in the country side."

• Germany ICOP member Mr. Gerhard Ahmad Kaufmann mentioned it was cloudy.

• USA
  1. ICOP member, Mr. Gulamabbas Khakoo said: "Sighted the crescent this evening of Monday. Dec. 13, 2004; here in Buena Park. SE of Los Angeles (California) local time 4:55pm. The top horn of the crescent was just after 12:00 o'clock and the bottom horn was just after 7:00 o'clock. The sighting was with naked eye and very clear."

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Jim Stamm said:

     Location  = Tucson, Arizona (USA)
     Longitude = 110.9645 W
     Latitude  =  32.4204 N
     Elevation = 842 meters
     Local Time - Universal Time = -7.0 hours
     
     Surface conditions at first sighting (15:26) at
         the University of Arizona (750 m):
         Temperature          =  24 degrees Celsius
         Relative Humidity    =  22 percent
         Atmospheric Pressure =  930 mb
     
     Topocentric and local time values from “Accurate Times”:
         Sunset (at sea level)          =  17:24
         Moonset (at sea level)         =  18:05
         Time from new moon at  15:26   =  19hr.  39min.
         Moon lag time                  =  41    minutes
         Relative Altitude              =  2.30  degrees
         Elongation from sun            =  13.02 degrees
         Crescent width                 =  26 arcseconds
         Illumination                   =  1.29  percent
     
     Crescent first observed through 8” SC telescope:
         Time      =   15:26
         Altitude  =   20.9 degrees
     
     Crescent first observed through binoculars:
         Time      =   17:34
         Altitude  =    3.4 degrees
     
     Crescent first observed with the naked eye:
         Time      =   17:51
         Altitude  =    0.6 degrees
     
     Final observation with telescope:
         Time      =   17:52
         Altitude  =    0.4 degrees -  Roof horizon
     
     Final observation with binoculars:
         Time      =   17:53
         Altitude  =    0.3 degrees  -  Lost in tree
     
     Final observation with naked eye:
         Time      =   17:52
         Altitude  =    0.4 degrees  -  Still above horizon
     
     John Polacheck first saw the crescent through binoculars.
     Faye Libbey made a naked eye sighting at 17:40!
     
     Observer(s):       Jim Stamm, Matt Stamm,
                         John Polacheck, Faye Libbey
     

Monday 13 December 2004 :-

1. Iraq
2. Kuwait
3. Saudi Arabia
4. Jordan

Tuesday 14 December 2004 :-

1. Iran
2. Senegal