International Astronomical Center

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent was on Saturday 08 March 2008 from a plane from Dubai to Islamabad by ICOP member Mr. Tahir Gul Hasan, the crescent was also seen on this day from Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Algeria, Morocco, Senegal, Tanzania and USA.

Friday 07 March 2008:

• USA: Partly Cloudy/Not Seen: ICOP member, Dr. Salman Shaikh said: "There were no Hilal Sighting reports from anywhere in North America. Hence the Hilal Sighting Committee of North America declared Safar to complete 30 days and start RabiulAwwal on Sunday, March 9, 2008."

Saturday 08 March 2008:

• Australia: Not Seen: ICOP member Mr. Afroz Ali said: "The Crescent was not sighted in Australia. Therefore the 1st of Rabbi ul-Awwal here commences on 10th March."

• Indonesia:
  1. Totally Cloudy: ICOP member, Mr. AR Sugeng Riyadi said: "The New Crescent of Rabiul Awal 1429 AH was NOT SEEN when I observe in my location (7°33' S, 110°46' E, 111 m, GMT+7) because the western was totally cloudy. The astronomical calculation at my location: sunset @ 1753 PM ; moonset @ 18:18 PM ; moon altitute 5°12'."

  2. Totally Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Mutoha Arkanuddin said: "Sighting the crescent for today (8/3/08) from my location, Yogyakarta (110deg 22min E ; 07deg7min S) Western Sky was totally cloudy. Sunset 17:55 LT and moonset 18:20 LT. Moon altitude at sunset 5°3' above real horizon. So the crescent was not seen. Indonesian government have announced that the first day of Rabiul Awwal 1429 AH on Sunday, 9 Marc 2008."

• India: Not Seen: ICOP member Mr. Mohammad Amin said: "In Mangalore (India) as well almost all over India and in Pakistan the Crescent could not be seen. In Mangalore the Sunset was at 18:40:24 and the Altitude of Moon at sunset was 8:32:41 (degree). Elongation was 10:23:36, The shining protion of total disk was 0.8% according to Astronomic Clock Software. The Moonset was 19:19:55. Therefore Moon Set was after Sunset by 31 Minutes the Crescent could not be seen. Accordingly in India the month of Safar will have 30 days."

• Bangladesh: Partly Cloudy/Not Seen: ICOP member, Mr. ABM Hassan said: "Today 8th March, Saturday, Ruiyati Hilal Majlish and Islamic Foundation both have announced that moon is not sighted in Bangladesh."

• Pakistan:
  1. Seen from Plane: ICOP member Mr. Tahir Gul Hasan said: "I, Capt. Tahir Gul Hasan (ICOP member) from Lahore Pakistan report that the "Moon was seen" while piloting an A-310 from Dubai to Islamabad. The moon was visible on 8 March 2008, at 35,000 feet over Jiwani (N25.38 & E 61.47). Beautiful and clear, it remained visible from 1842 to 1855 LT. Sorry, I could not land at Jiwani to give you an observation! You may compare the ground position's data for Jiwani with my report which is purely informational and has nothing to do with the announcement for Rabi-ul-Awwal."

  2. Not Seen/Hazy: ICOP member Mr. Muhammad Sultan Alam said: "Today i.e. on Saturday March 8, 2008, I went to the sea view beach of Karachi with a friend to sight the moon but it was about 25 degrees clouds & pollution on the western sky so we could not sight the moon. As well as 4 persons, all were scholars and students of our institute, tried to sight the moon by naked eyes from the 4th floor of our institute situated in Nazimabad 4, Karachi, Pakistan at the exact place of crescent according to the moon data but they also could not sight. Some other scholars of our institute ("JAMIATUR-RASHEED'' situated in Ahsanabad, Karachi, Pakistan) also tried to sight the moon according to the moon data but they also could not sight. Many members of personal moon sighting committees of our institute "JAMIATUR-RASHEED'' reported from Kohat (11 persons), Swabi, Charsaddah (35 persons), Battal, Abbotabad, Pishin and Shahdadkot etc. that they tried but could not sight the moon. Sky was very clear in Kohat and Charsaddah but it was some cloudy in other regions. Chairman of central official moon sighting committee of Pakistan told me on my personal mobile number that because he did not receive the reports of moon sighting from all over the Pakistan, therefore he has officially announced that Sunday March 9, 2008 is the 30th Safar and 1st Rabee-ul-awwal 1429 will be on Monday March 10, 2008 in Pakistan."

• Iran: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Majid Marzani said: "The crescent was seen by naked eyes at 18:46 in Tehran."
  

• Iraq: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Hassan Alsabbar said: "Crescent late watching sunset after 25 minutes Because there is some light dust on the horizon as well as a small white cloud touched on the vision often But using Alsabbar method in the search for Crescent able to watch Crescent at 6:26 using Binocular and 6:30 pm naked eye. Crescent same mouth smile Reconciling."
  

• Oman: Not Seen by Telescope/Hazy: ICOP member Mr. Mohammed Al Bussaidi said: "Despite the crescent moon staying 48 minutes after sunset, I could not see the crescent. The sky was full of suspended dust and haze which may have contibuted to poor visibilty."

• Bahrain: Seen: ICOP member Mr. A.Hameed Ali Haji said: "The crescent was easily visible by naked eye after darkness, and also with telescope and binocular."
  

• Kuwait: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Hussain Khushaish said: "In Kuwait at Kabad desert on Sat 8 Apr 2008 I and a group of 7 persons could see the crescent with 8 " telescope and 10*50 & 20*60 binoculars in the following order sun disappeared at 17:52, sunset 17:55, first seen with telescope at 18:06, first seen with 10*60 bino at 18:13, last seen with bino at 18:30, last seen with telescope at 18:31, moon set at 18:48. So we did not see the crescent the first 13 and the last 17 minutes. The western horizon was clear exept last 1 or 2 degrees of haze."
  

• Algeria:
  1. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Houcine Chikh Aissa said: "(10) observers were present in N'tissa station with one binoculars. (07X50) The new crescent of Rabee Awwal was seen by naked eyes and by a binocular and telescope, the first was at 18:58 by binocular and 19:01 by naked eye member of the club AMMI SAID d'ASTRONOMIE AMATEUR."
  2. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Bankih Kacem said:
     - Location: Merkiche,Benisguen, Algeria
     - Latitude: 32° 27' N
     - Longitude: 03° 41' E
     - Elevation: 550 meters
     - Time Zone: +1
     - Sunset: 18:45
     - Results:
     - Seen easily at 18:53 by binoculars.
     - Seen easily at 19:05 by naked eyes.
     - Present: 04 persons.
     

• Morocco: Seen: ICOP member Prof. Hamid Touma said: "I have just observed the crescent of the Moon, which is very clear. it is visible and presented horizontaly at 25° in the sky. There is no clouds in the western horizon. I would like to take this opportunity to wish my sincers wishes to all Muslim in the world. Aid Mawlid Annabaoui Said."

• Senegal: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Ibrahima Thierno Lo said: "I have seen the crescent moon myself in Dakar Saturday, March 8th, at 19:48 by naked eyes. The crescent was very thin. The sky was very clear. The moon was seen also by other friends in Louga (200 km from Dakar), in Matam (700 Km from Dakar). Hence 1st day of Rabi-al-Awwal 1429H in Senegal is on Sunday, march. 9, 2008 G."

• Kenya: Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Fuad Saleh mentioned that it was cloudy.

• Tanzania:
  1. Not Seen: ICOP member Mr. Zaffar Sheriff said: "The crescent could not be seen due to partial cloudy western horizon. The 7.5 altitude with 34min duration would have posed a unique challenge to spot the Rabiul Awwal crescent. Local authorities have declared Sunday 9th as 1st day of Rabiul Awwal."
  2. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Hamza Rijal said: "I personally I have failed to observed the Hilal but it was annouced officially that the Hilal was observed in Micheweni and tanga therefore today is first Rabil Awal"

• Nigeria:
  1. Cloudy/Not Seen: ICOP member Imam Majolagbe Monsuru said: "I tried to sight the Moon from 7:05 till 7:55 but was not seen for it was very cloudy."
  2. Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Usman El-Nafaty said: "Western horizon was totally cloudy here in Bauchi (Nigeria); hence no attempt was made at sighting the crescent. However a reliable colleaque in a nearby city (Kano), reported sighting the crescent yesterday Saturday."
  3. Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Abdul-Rasaq Abdul-Azeez Ishola said: " I and my Collegues try to search the crescent fourtunately it is cloudy up till Monday 10-03-08 in Ikorodu area of Lagos state."

• Germany:
  1. Cloydy: ICOP member Mr. Martin Elsaesser said: "I could not see the crescent on Saturday, due to clouds."

  2. Not Seen/Partly Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Ibrahim Leibfried mentioned that he was not able to see the crescent by naked eye, and it was partly cloudy.

  3. Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Gerhard Ahmad Kaufmann mentioned that it was cloudy.

• UK:
  1. Totally Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Mohammad Baig from Slough said: "It rained almost all afternoon today (Saturday 8th) in London and I am particularly disappionted as comprehensive preparations were made (location of sighting and position of crescent on horizon were predetermined) and for UK we had an excellent chance and I am sure the crescent was 'visible' behind clouds. Our 30 days are done anyway."

  2. Totally Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti from Oxford said: "Negative sighting. A group of us attempted to perform the sighting tonight in Oxford on 29 Safar, Saturday 8th of March, immediately after Maghrib prayers. Unfortunately the local horizon is overcast. However, by 'Isha time we receive reports of positive sightings from various places in Morocco. This news, despite not being able to sight locally in the UK, makes it sufficient for those in the UK to begin the month of Rabi' al-Awwal from today's Maghrib to tomorrow, Sunday, the 9th of March, by following the basic rule [dabit] in Islamic Law in this matter that whenever it is known that the crescent has been positively sighted in the East, local sighting inevitably follows, but not the other way round [mata hasalati r-ru'yatu fi l-sharqi lazima ru'yatuhu fi l-gharbi wa la-'aks]. Hence the 12th of Rabi' I, should fall in the UK on Thursday, 20th of March (beginning from Maghrib, 19th of March)."

  3. Totally Cloud: ICOP member Mr. Abdurrashid Ayoubi from Kettering said: "Moon not sighted - cloudy horizon. Today (Saturday) being 29 Safar in UK and the moon being more than 24 hours old and set 86 minutes after sunset it needs to be recognised as "seen" and therefore the new month of Rabi Al Awal starts tomorrow in UK. Sunnah does not require us to co-ordinate with any other overseas country. InshaAllah there will be consensue on this issue in UK."

• USA:
  1. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Javad Torabinejad from (Blacksburg, VA) said: "This evening (Saturday, March 08, 2008), we sighted the moon in Blacksburg, VA at 6:52 pm. The sunset was at 6:22 pm. The moon was high over the western horizon and rather easy to see."

Sunday 09 March 2008:

1. Indonesia
2. Iraq
3. Oman
4. Saudi
5. UAE
6. Kuwait
7. Jordan
8. Algeria
9. Morocco
10. Senegal
11. Tanzania
12. UK

Monday 10 March 2008:

1. Australia
2. India
3. Bangladesh
4. Pakistan

The geocentric conjunction (Geocentric New Moon) will occur Inshalla on (Friday 07 March 2008) at 17:14 UT.

Thursday 06 March 2008:

• Germany: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Martin Elsaesser said: "Very difficult to see with the naked eye. Simple with binoculars."
  

Friday 07 March 2008:

• Indonesia: Partly Cloudy/Not Seen: ICOP member, Mr. AR Sugeng Riyadi said: "We are the CASA (Club Astronomi Santri Assalaam). We could NOT SEE the old crescent (Waning) of this month (Shafar 1428 AH) in our location : PPMI Assalaam - Sukoharjo Central Java Indonesia (Lat: 7 33 S, Long: 110 46 E, elev: 111 m, Zone: GMT+7). The crescent was NOT SEEN from 05:04 LT when MoonRise up to 05:41 LT @ SunRise with alt 8 deg 3.15 mnt, because the eastern horizon was partly cloudy."