International Astronomical Center

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent -after sunset- was on Tuesday 23 June 2009 from Jordan by ICOP member Ms. Basma Dhiab, the crescent was also seen on this day from Lebanon, Morocco, Senegal, Tanzania, South Africa, USA and Trinidad and Tobago.

Tuesday 23 June 2009:

• India: Not Seen/Cloudy/Hazy: ICOP member Mr. Mohammad Amin Haroon said: "On 23rd June Tuesday Evening the sky was totally hazy and cloudy and no Crescent could be seen. Accordingly in India the month may change on next day and 1st of RAJAB begin on Thursday 25th JUNE 2009"

• Pakistan: Not Seen: ICOP member Mr. Muhammad Sultan Alam said: "On my request, Today (Tuesday, 23 June 2009 = 29 Jumadath-Thaniah 1430 in Pakistan) many hundred persons (Members of the moon-sighting committees of our institute "JAMIA-TUR-RASHEED" + My friends + their companions) tried to sight the moon all over Pakistan but the moon could not be sighted. Generally the weather was cloudy and hazy but it was clear at some places. Note 1: Chairman of central official moon-sighting committee of Pakistan "Mufti Munee-bur-Rahman" told me on my mobile phone that because he did not receive any positive report of moon sighting from all over Pakistan, therefore he has officially announced that Wednesday 24 June 2009 is the 30th Jumadath-Thaniah and 1st Rajab 1430 will fall on Thursday 25 June 2009. Note 2: After some days, inshaallah, a detailed report of this observation will be available at www.esnips.com/web/moonnewsofjamiaturrasheed"

• Iran:
  1. Not Seen/Partly Cloudy/Hazy: ICOP member Mr.Majid Marzani said: "Thin clouds be the reason for not seeing the crescent in Tehran."

  2. Not Seen/Totally Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Alireza Mehrani said:

     Location: Esfahan, Iran
     Latitude: 32° 37' N
     Longitude: 51° 35' E
     Elevation: 1619 meters from sea level
     Time zone: +4.5

     Temperature: 23.4 C°
     Barometer: 844.2 mb
     Wind: 14.4 kmph
     Humidity: 36%
     The western horizon was totally cloudy.

     Topocentric and local time values from "Moon Calculator" (Refrac off):
     Sunset: 20:15 LT (15:45 UT)
     Moon Alt: 8° 29' 50"
     Elongation: 11° 08' 54"
     Rel Azi: -(6° 07' 05")
     Moon Width: 0.32'
     Moon Phase: 1.10%
     Moon Age: 20h 10m after conjunction
     Moonset: 21:06 LT (16:36 UT)
     Sunset-Moonset: 0h 51m
     The result of the observation: Not Seen."

  3. Not Seen/Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Hossein Janghorbani said:
     "On June 23rd 2009 coincident Tir 2nd 1388 Tuesday evening Shahreza astronomy & geophysics centre`s membership, Isfahan province women of astronomy & geophysics association with some of Shahrezaian travelling in mountains group members and Shahreza Red crescent physical fitness & Yoga group started on journey to see Rajab crescent lunar month 1430 in Damzad field on east(Lat: 31° 38' N Lon: 51° 42' E Ele: 2581 m Tz: +3.5) but they couldn’t see crescent because it was cloudy. However, astronomy & geophysics membership dressed in old clothes of Iran in this unique project (100 hours between old astronomy age and new astronomy age) – program on the occasion of astronomy world year and honouring Sheikh Bahaee-Iranian scientist astronomer, mathematician,philosophic and metaphysics sciences professor- and inaugurate the project. Hossein Janghorbani, Shahreza astronomy & geophysics centre’s boss explained the following issues for interested people attended there:
     1. Genesis history of astronomy sciences and special position of astronomy near ancient Iran scientists.
     2. Some details about adventures of astronomic scientists like Galilah , Aboureyhan Birouni, eunuch Nasiraddin Tousi ,sheikh Bahaee, etc.
     3. The study of foretelling and horoscopy in old astronomy and determination line between superstitions and realties.
     4. Changes of astronomy sciences in physics sciences, astro physics and cosmology.
     5. Some detailes about seeing Rajab crescent and writing calendar.

     Participants’s names as the following:
     1-Mohammad  Mahdy Motovasel
     2-mohammad  Jamshidpoor
     3-Behnam  Rezaee
     4-Mohammad Javad  Nikeghbal
     5-Shahram  Rahmati
     6-Majid  Heydari
     7-Davood  Javeri
     8-Saeed  Shirvan
     9-Reza  Ensandoost
     10-Reza  Janghorbani
     11-Ali  Janghorbani
     12-Hossein  Janghorbani
     13-Zahra  Heydari
     14-Maliheh  Moosavi
     15-Maasoomeh  Bahrami
     16-Mahboobeh  Bahrami
     17-Sareh  Dabiri
     18-Foroogh  Yaghoobi
     19-Samira  Sadri
     20-Zahra  Hashemifar
     21-Rozita  Esmaeelpoor
     22-Heshmat  Hamidia
     23-Elaheh  Amini
     24-Mrs  Mehryar
     25-Tayebeh  Vafaee
     26-Zahra  Shahri
     27-Laleh  Ammareh
     28-Zahra  Rahimi
     29-Zhila  Taghavi
     30-Maryam  Darvishpoorian
     31-Maliheh  Davari
     32-Rezvan  Sadri
     33-Leyla  Safyan
     34-Batool  Nazem
     35-Tooran  Torabi
     36-Ghazaleh  Kazemi
     37-Faranak  Jamshidpoor
     38-Mehrnaz  Hemmat
     39-Zahra  Rasoolian
     40-Sholeh  Aminpoor
     41-Mahsa  Kazemi
     42-Zahra  Sharifi
     43-Zahra  Fallahi"
     

     

• Saudi:
  1. Not Seen/Partly Cloudy/Hazy: ICOP member Mr. Bander Albotehy said: "The last 5 degrees of the western horizon was polluted and very hazy. The sun disappeared when it was about 5 degrees above the horizon. When the time was ready to sight the crescent, the crescent was affected by the bad sighting condition near to the horizon. High quality photos are available and can be provided upon request."

  2. Not Seen: ICOP member Dr. Khaled Saleh Al Zaag said: "I could not see crescent this evening in Buraydah. I use telescope 12". The weather good."

  3. Not Seen/Hazy: ICOP member Mr. Saleh Al-Saab said: "The weather was very bad to see the crescent, the sun disappeared 12 minutes before the real time ."

• Kuwait: Not Seen/Hazy: ICOP member Mr. Hussain Khushaish said: "In Kuwait On Tuesday 23 Jun 2009 I could not see the crescent, It was dusty so that the sun could not be seen even 1 hour before its sunset time."

• Bahrain: Not Seen/Hazy: ICOP member Mr. A.Hameed Ali Haji said: "The last 5 degrees of the western horizon was polluted and very hazy. The sun disappeared when it was about 4 degrees above the horizon. So the Crescent was not seen." waliaser Group."

• Jordan: Seen: ICOP member Ms. Basma Dhiab said: "We were 14 participants: 5 members of Jordanian astronomical Society ( Basheer Saleh the first to see the crescent, Tareq Adnan, Mahmood and Nagham Odeh and myself Basma Diab) and another 9 of JAS friends and a nice baby girl 'Noorseen' whose name means 'the light of the Moon '. Our location was on a hill in western area of Amman (Marj Al Hamam), which is our familiar location for crescent observation. After our observation, we had a short stargazing night with the help of the lazer pointer by which we introduced the sky constellations. It was a nice summer night specially for our guests."

• Lebanon: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Bashir Jarrah said: "Rajab crescent was seen by Bashir Jarrah and Bassam Alfeel from Sultan Yaquop mountain at 8:13 after Magrib prayer, but our digital camera could not see it due to its weak resolution." i sent the first report on tuesday 23/6/2009 but , i donot know why itis not recieved by you ,so i am sorry for that and my lately report is sent now on thurs day at morning." i sent the first report on tuesday 23/6/2009 but , i donot know why itis not recieved by you ,so i am sorry for that and my lately report is sent now on thurs day at morning."

• Morocco: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Ali Amraoui said: "Crescent is seen at another town of Morocco. Officially 1st Rajab is Wednesday June 24."

• Senegal: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Ibrahima Thierno Lo said: "Some friends in 2 localities in Dakar (Parcelles assainies and Keur Damel) have seen the crescent by naked eyes. I was in work at the the time of observation."

• Tanzania:
  1. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Zaffar Sheriff said: "The western sky was clear, except of low lying haze. Bicocular sighting was confirmed at 6.35pm. Naked eye sighting could not be established. Confirmation was later received from Mwanza, a major city northwest of Daressalaam."

  2. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Hamza Rijal said: "Hilal was seen on Tuesday, 23 June 2009 in tiny island of Zanzibar. Location of sighting was Kwahani in the urban area. I have been in other locality whereby I have failed to sight the Hilal but around 1900 hours local (1600 GMT) time I have received a call from my colleague confirming that Hilal have sighted, then I verify it with Mufty office and they said that Hilal has been observed in number of areas, therefore today Wednesday 24th June 2009 is the 1st Rajab 1430"

• Nigeria:
  1. Not Seen/Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. AbdulRasaq Ishola Ikorodu said: "We went on the sighting ground at Itamaga on the praying ground of Ikorodu Muslim Council along Ijede Road area of Ikorodu. We start sight arround 7:01 p.m. The sky is clody we called our brothers in the north too they said the same thing exept Sultonu's spokesman that said that the crescent has been sighted on Monday in 2 places in Kirau in Kano State and Bornu!!! When the moon is yet not born ? and declared today 23-06-09 as 1st of Rajab. Here are our brothers and fathers that went for sighting.
     
     1. Hustaz Abdul-Rasaq Abdul-Azeez Ishola
     2. Ustaz Monsur Majolagbe
     3. Chief Imam Seifu deen Oloworibi (Chief Imam of Ikorodu)
     4. Sheik Abdul-Ganiy Adenle Yusufu"
     

  2. Not Seen: ICOP member Mr. Muhammed Ya'sin Qamardeen said: "Here at Oshodi, Lagos, Nigeria we couldn't sight the new crescent for the month of Rajaab in spite of the fact that about 80% of visual field of western sky is free of cloudiness and fog. Meanwhile report from MAl Dukku at Bauchi indicated cloudy sky and Amir Lajinat Ilorin he equally called to informed that new Hilal was not visible."

  3. Not Seen/Partly Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Simwal Jibril mentioned that the crescent was not seen by naked eyes or binoculars and the sky was partly cloudy.

  4. Not Seen/Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Usman Dukku said: "In spite of the clouds, we attempted to sight the moon, here in Bauchi, but we did not see it."

• South Africa: Seen: ICOP member Dr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim said: "Stormy weather in Cape Town made visibility impossible. Nevertheless, the crescent was sighted in the Johannesburg area of South Africa, approx. 1500km NE of Cape Town"

• Germany:
  1. Not Seen/Totally Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Martin Elsaesser said: "Full cloud cover, strong rain."

  2. Not Seen: ICOP member Mr. Kadir Yucel said: "Clear sky but I could not find the moon."

  3. Not Seen/Totally Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Gerhard Ahmad Kaufmann mentioned that it was totally cloudy.

• UK:
  1. Not Seen: ICOP member Dr. Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti from Oxford, UK said: "Tathbit of Hilal based on Credible Easterly Sightings Negative sighting. The two of us attempted to perform the sighting of Rajab after Maghrib on Tuesday 23 June (the 29th day of Jumada l-Akhir for the UK). Although the horizon is clear, the crescent could not be sighted. Still, we received news of positive sightings to the East of the UK from Morocco and South Africa. This news, despite not being able to sight locally, makes it sufficient for the day of 1st Rajab to be tomorrow, on Wednesday 24 June, for those in the UK, 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. Therefore, the 27th of Rajab in the UK should fall on Monday 20 July (beginning from Sunday's Maghrib)."

  2. Not Seen/Partly Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Abdurrashid Ayoubi from Kettering mentioned that the crescent was not seen by naked eye.

  3. Not Seen/Clear: ICOP member Mr. Mohammad Baig from London said: "The western horizon was clear in Slough, near London and I had previously scaled down the 'search Area' to a relatively small window by using preformulated grid for my particular horizon. Still no luck despite half an hour's intense search using binoculars."

  4. Not Seen: ICOP member Mr. Qamar Uddin said: "This is a combined report from ICOUK members from different parts of UK. On Tuesday 23 June 2009 many places in UK have tried to sight the crescent moon (Hilal) that was on UK horizon for nearly 1 hour after sunset, but no naked eye sighting report was received in spite of clear sky conditions in most places. A group of us from York and Batley also travelled 30 miles away to Sutton Bank, Thirsk (YO7 2EY), which was 1000 ft above sea level and tried to sight the Hilal with binoculars and telescopes, but still could not do so. However, we have received news of actual sighting (Muhaqaq Ruyat-e-Basri) from Morocco and South Africa. Therefore, the Ulama (including Wifaq and Batley) have decided that the month of Jumada Al-Thani 1430 AH will have 29 days and the month of Rajab 1430 AH will start from Wednesday 24 June 2009, Insha-Allah. Please see below a list of observer names for naked-eye sighing reports we have received to date. May Allah rewards them all for reviving the Sunnah of this months Hilal sighting in UK.
     1. Canterbury (Negative/Clear): Zayed Zaheer, Kent University campus
     2. South London (Negative/Clear): Shaykh Sulayman Gani
     3. Ilford (Negative/ Clear): Abdul Aziz Raje from Ilford (plus many others)
     4. High Wycombe (Negative/Clear): Maulana Amir Aziz (plus 4 others)
     5. Oxford (Negative/Clear): Dr. Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti
     6. Birmingham (Negative/Clear): Ziaur Rahman, Barr Beacon Hills
     7. Manchester (Negative/Cloudy): Maqsood Fazel
     8. Batley (Negative/Clear): Mufti Zakaria Akudi
     9. Preston (Negative/Clear): Maulana Farook Kazi
     10. Sutton Bank, Thirsk (Negative/Clear): Maulana Hasib Mayet (Batley), Maulana Imran Lunat (Batley), Vashiullah Bodiyat (Batley), Hatim Salih (York), Moin Uddin (York), Qamar Uddin (York), Yusuf (York) and Marin Whillock (York Astronomical Society).
     11. Edinburgh (Negative/Foggy): Wahid Irshad, Napier University campus"
     

• Sweden: Not Seen: ICOP member Mr. Muhammad Shafiur Rahman Chowdury said: "We the members of Anjumane Al Baiyinaat, Sweden (1. Muhammad Shafiur Rahman Chowdury, 2. Muhammad Firoz Ahmad, 3.Muhammad Kamruzzaman Khan, 4. Muhammad Zaharul Islam Mridha and 5. Muhammad Shafiqul Haque) have tried to sight the crescent moon of the new coming arabic month Mahe Rajab 1430 Hizri this evening 23rd June 2009 Tuesday from Stockholm, Ume and Vaxjoِ by bare eyes. But we could not sight the crescent moon, although the sky was very clear (except Umea). So, The Anjumane Al Baiyinaat, Sweden have announced that the 1st day of the new Arabic month Mahe Rajab 1430 Hizri will be started from 25th June 2009 Thursday after completing the Mahe Jumada-Al-Thani 1430 Hizri by counting 30 days in 24th June 2009 Wednesday. Details report are given in bellow:-

  Condition of the sky: Very Clear and shinning (Except Umea cloudy)

  Persons:
  

  1. Muhammad shafiur Rahman Chowdury (Stockholm),
  2. Muhammad Firoz Ahmad (Stockholm),
  3. Muhammad Kamruzzaman Khan (Stockholm),
  4. Muhammad Zaharul Islam Mridha (Umea),
  5. Muhammad Shafiqul Haque (Vaxjo University)

• Norway: Not Seen: ICOP member Mr. Milad Ali Ershaghi said: "I tried to sight the moon this evening (Tuesday 23 June 2009) from 23:32 until 23:47 in Holmenkollen, a relatively high point near the city of Oslo, Norway - with coordinates of 59.9604 N latitude and 10.6668 E longitude and an altitude of 359.5 meters. Local sunset time was 22:52 and moonset time was 23:47pm. The sky near the horizon was relatively clear - but I was unable to see the new moon."

• USA:
  1. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Javad Torabinejad from (Blacksburg, Virginia) said: "This evening (Tuesday, June 23, 2009), the crescent moon was sighted in Blacksburg, Virginia. Because of the partly cloudy western horizon, we had to wait till 9:13 to sight the crescent appearing in a clear patch (local sunset at 8:45). The crescent horns were on 3:00 and 6:00 o'clock."

  2. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Gulamabbas Khakoo from (Buena Park, California) mentioned that the crescent was seen by naked eye.

• Trinidad and Tobago:
  1. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Abdurrahman Ali mentioned that the crescent was seen by naked eye.

  2. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Kahiam Hosein said: "The western horizon was very cloudy and the moon was visible for only a few minutes. Grenada along with Trinidad saw the moon but Guyana and Barbados did not see it because of overcast conditions."

Tuesday 23 June 2009:

1. Nigeria

Wednesday 24 June 2009:

1. Saudi
2. Kuwait
3. Bahrain
4. Qatar
5. UAE
6. Oman
7. Jordan
8. Egypt
9. Algeria
10. Morocco
11. Senegal
12. Tanzania
13. South Africa

Thursday 25 June 2009:

1. Pakistan

The geocentric conjunction (Geocentric New Moon) will occur Inshalla on (Monday 22 June 2009) at 19:35 UT.

Monday 22 June 2009:

• Indonesia: Seen: ICOP member, Mr. AR Sugeng Riyadi said: "The Old Crescent of Jumadal Tsaniyah 1430 AH was SEEN"
  

• Iran:
  1. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Alireza Mehrani said:

     Location: Esfahan, Iran
     Latitude: 32° 38' N
     Longitude: 51° 41' E
     Elevation: 1500 meters from sea level
     Time zone: +4.5
     Observer & photographer: Alireza Mehrani
     Optical tools: Digital camera (Sony DSC H9)

     Temperature: 16 C°
     Barometer: 845.5 mb
     Wind: Calm
     Humidity: 62%
     Visibility: 10 km
     The eastern horizon was dusty.

     Topocentric and local time values from "Moon Calculator" (Refrac off):
     Time: 05:29 LT (00:59 UT)
     Moon Alt: 3° 53' 59"
     Sun Alt: - (5° 45' 58")
     Elongation: 10° 32' 52"
     Rel Azi: 4° 13' 42"
     Moon Width: 0.28'
     Moon Phase: 1.01%
     Moon Age: 18h 36m before conjunction
     

     

  2. Not Seen/Partly Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Majid Marzani said: "Seeing the crescent by binoculars was tried, but it was not seen in Tehran."

• Algeria: Not Seen/Clear: ICOP member Mr. Bankih Kacem said: "I have tried to observe the Jumada2 1430 old crescent by naked eye but it wasn't seen."

• Germany: Not Seen/Partly Cloudy/Hazy: ICOP member Mr. Martin Elsaesser said: "Haze and clouds on the eastern horizon prevented a successfull sighting, despite a 200mile drive."

Sunday 21 June 2009:

• Indonesia: Seen: ICOP member, Mr. AR Sugeng Riyadi said: "The Old Crescent of Jumadal Tsaniyah 1430 AH was SEEN"
  

• Algeria: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Bankih Kacem said: "The Jumada 2 1430 old crescent was seen easyaly from Benisguen."

• Germany: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Martin Elsaesser said: "The crescent was easily seen at 23° elongation, despite clouds at the horizon."