International Astronomical Center

Friday 08 April 2005:

• Iraq: ICOP member Mr. Bacil Moudhaffar said: "The crescent was not seen even with binoculars."

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent was on Saturday 09 April 2005 from Saudi Arabia by ICOP Member Mr. Edrees Al Shubbar.

Saturday 09 April 2005:

• Iran:

  • ICOP member, Mr. Mohammad Zahed Aram said: "We had a very hazy and dusty horizon. I was with Mr. Kayvan Kareemzadeh." He mentioned that the crescent was not seen niether by telescope nor by naked eye.

  • ICOP member Mr. Majid Marzani mentioned it was totally cloudy.

  • ICOP member, Mr. Reza Amirzadeh mentioned that he was not able to see the crescent niether by binoculars nor by naked eye, where it was hazy.

• Iraq: ICOP member Mr. Bacil Moudhaffar said: "Seeing the crescent tried from 19:40 until 20:10 but was not seen even with binocular (8*30) due to haze horizon."

• Oman: ICOP member Mr. Suleiman AL bussaidi mentioned that he was not able to see the crescent niether by telescope nor by naked eye, where it was cloudy and hazy.

• Saudi Arabia:

  • ICOP Member Mr. Edrees Al Shubbar mentioned that he was able to see the crescent by naked eye.

  • ICOP member Mr. Saleh Al-Saab said: "The crescent was far enough from the Sun but it was dusty, the Sun disappeared 11 minutes before the real time."

• Morocco: ICOP member Mr. Othman Fadli mentioned that he was not able to see the crescent by naked eye and it was partly cloudy.

• South Africa: ICOP member Dr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim mentioned that the crescent was not seen niether by binoculars nor by naked eye. He added that it was partly cloudy and hazy.

• Nigeria:

  • ICOP member Mr. Muhammed Ya'sin Qamardeen said: "I try sighting the new crescent here in Lagos today, but due to cloudness of the sky it is not visible. However, report of sky from Sokoto at northermost part of Nigeria indicated good weather, yet the observer there were unable to sight the new crescent. As at the moment of fill in this report I have not get the report from other places under our coverage. Nigerian Supreme council of Islamic Affair had begun the Rabiul Awwal on Saturday 9, April 2005"

  • ICOP member Mr. Usman Duhhu said: "I was visiting my relations at Dukku, about 150 km NE of Bauchi, on the sighting date but I did not attempt sighting the rcescent as the sky was hazy and thinly cloudy."

• Germany: ICOP member Mr. Gerhard Ahmad Kaufmann said: "Crescent was found 12 minutes after sunset by means of binoculars, another 13 minutes later naked-eye sighting was possible. The shape of the crescent was a thin line with unequal intensity, about 120° long. The sky had completely cleared up a while before, the air was dry and clear."

• USA:

  • ICOP member, Dr. Hadi Jaafar mentioned that the crescent was seen by naked eye.

  • ICOP Member, Ms. Mary Singer said: "The clouds parted shortly after 8pm (20:06 PDT). Our astronomy club was having a gathering, and we all saw the new crescent low on the western horizon."

  • ICOP member, Mr. Gulamabbas Khakoo said: "Sighted the crescent of Rabi ul Awwal on Saturday, April 9, 2005 here in Buena Park, California. Local time 7:40pm. The top horn of the crescent was between 1 & 2 (closer to 2) and bottom horn of the crescent was between 7 & 8. Sighting was very easy and clear."

  • ICOP member, Mr. Jim Stamm said:

    Location     = Tucson, Arizona (USA)
       Longitude = 110.9645 W
       Latitude  =  32.4204 N
       Elevation = 842 meters
       Time Zone = -7.0 hour
    
    Surface conditions at time of first sighting at
       Tucson International Airport (805 m):
       Temperature          =  66 degrees Fahrenheit
       Relative Humidity    =  25 percent
       Atmospheric Pressure =  1005.5 mb
    
    
    Topocentric and local time values from “Accurate Times”:
       Sunset (at sea level)   =  18:54
       Moonset (at sea level)  =  20:07
       Time from new moon at   13:34   =  22hr.  58min.
       Moon lag time                   =  73    minutes
       Relative altitude               =  9.15  degrees
       Elongation from sun             =  12.40 degrees
       Crescent width                  =  22 arcseconds
       Illumination                    =  1.17  percent
    
    
    Crescent first observed through 8” SC telescope:
       Time      =   13:34
       Altitude  =   69.8 degrees
    
    Crescent first observed through 6x30 finder:
       Time      =   18:44
       Altitude  =   14.6 degrees
    
    Crescent first observed with the naked eye:
       Time      =   19:00
       Altitude  =   11.4 degrees
    
    End of observation (all three methods):
       Time      =   19:52
       Altitude  =    1.1 degree
    
    Time     Length of Crescent
    13:34    45 degrees
    16:30    45
    17:30    60
    18:15    90
    18:40   100
    18:47   120
    18:52   135
    19:00   145
    19:23   150
    19:45   170
    

Saturday 09 April 2005 :-

1. Nigeria

Sunday 10 April 2005 : -

1. Iran
2. Iraq
3. Oman
4. Saudi
5. Jordan
6. Morocco

Monday 11 April 2005 : -

1. South Africa