International Astronomical Center

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent was on Sunday 06 April 2008 from USA by ICOP member Mr. Jim Stamm.

Sunday 06 April 2008:

• Indonesia: Not Seen: ICOP member, Mr. AR Sugeng Riyadi said: "It was impossible to see the new crescent of Rabiul Akhir 1429 AH from my location (PPMI Assalaam = 7° 33' S,110° 46' E, GMT+7, 111 m) because the alt of the moon is 0° 0.50' @ sunset."

• Pakistan: Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Muhammad Sultan Alam said: "On my request, Today (April, 6, 2008, Sunday) Many Members of personal moon sighting committees of our institute "Jamia-tur-Rasheed" Ahsanabad, Karachi, Pakistan and my friends tried to sight the moon in Pakistan but the moon could not be sighted. Reporting places are these: Karachi (Partially cloudy), Lahore (Partially cloudy), Pishin (Partially cloudy), Hango (Full cloudy), Charsaddah (Full cloudy), Swabi (Full cloudy), Mardan (Full cloudy)."

• Saudi: Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Saleh Al-Saab said: "The crescent remain about 26 minutes after the sun. The western horizon was totally cloudy."

• Bahrain: Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. A.Hameed Ali Haji said: "It was cloudy, hazy and dusty. So not seen."

• Kuwait: Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Hussain Khushaish said: "In Kuwait on Sunday 6 April 2008 I could not see the crescent .The western horizon was cloudy and hazy."

• Algeria: Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Houcine Chikh Aissa said: "6 persons were prensent in N'tissa station. Rabee Thani Crescent 1429 crescent was not seen neither by naked eyes nor by binoculars .The western horizon was partly cloudy and hazy. The Sun set Behind clouds almost at 18:36."

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

• Nigeria: Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Usman Dukku said: "Due to clouds we did not organise a sighting trip here in Bauchi."

• Germany:
  1. Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Martin Elsaesser said: "The 14h crescent could not be seen, due to a partially cloudy sky and a lot of haze. Not sure about the correct position, as sunset could not be observed due to clouds."
  2. Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Gerhard Ahmad Kaufmann mentioned that it was cloudy.

• UK:
  1. Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Mohammad Baig from Slough said: "Considering we started the day in London with 10cms of snow, it was all cleared by the sun by late afternoon. Sadly the Western horizon remained partly cloudy and despite half an hour of frantic visual search, I returned home bitterly disappointed as we had a rare chance of being amongst the first to see the first day crescent in UK. I hope the other members in UK had better luck."

  2. Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Sulayman Gani said: "We attempted to observe the Hilal from the roof of Croydon Masjid in South London after the sunset prayer. The western horizon was partly cloudly. The hilal was not sighted. It was on the horizon for 62 minutes."

  3. Cloudy: ICOP member Dr. Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti from Oxford said: "Negative sighting. The two of us attempted to sight the crescent tonight in Oxford on 29 Rabi' al-Awwal, Sunday 6th April, immediately after Maghrib prayers for about an hour. The local horizon is partly cloudy and there was no sighting of the new crescent. By 'Isha time there have been no reports of positive sightings east of our location; rather we received news of negative sightings in Morocco. Therefore, we would be completing 30 days [istikmal] for the present month, so that the next month of Rabi' al-Akhir should fall in the UK on Tuesday 8 April (beginning from Maghrib 7 April)."

  4. Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Abdurrashid Ayoubi from Kettering mentioned it was totally cloudy.

  5. Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Qamar Uddin said: "The following Ulama (Muslim Scholars) were present at York Astronomical Society (YAS) Observatory on Sunday, 6 April 2008 before sunset to set-up the optical aids (telescopes) and after sunset to sight the crescent moon.
     1. Shaykh Mufti Yusuf Akudi (IMWS, Batley)
     2. Shaykh Hashim Ravat (Rabiat-ul-Ulama, Bately)
     3. Shaykh Qari Irshad Dandekak (Illahi Mosque, Dewsbury)
     4. Shaykh Ilyas Kola (Jumma Mosque, Bately)
     5. Shaykh Zubair Ahmed (York Mosque)
     There were 10 additional members of York, which included scientists, civil servants and general members of the Muslim community. Unfortunately, we were unable to sight the crescent moon (even with telescopes) due to the sky being overcast by clouds. There were snow-showers earlier in the day in most of York. We were told later by one of the members of the York Astronomy Society (scientist) that even if the sky was clear, we would not have been able to sight the crescent moon (by the naked eye) due the moon being too close to the sun (hence being hidden by it's glare). Therefore, the Ulama have decided that the present month of Rabi-ul-Awal 1429 AH will have 30 days and the next month (Rabi-ul-Thani 1429 AH) will start from Tuesday, 8 April 2008, Insha-Allah."
     

• USA:
  1. Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Javad Torabinejad from (Blacksburg, VA) said: "Due to the presence of clouds no sighting was tried."

  2. Seen: ICOP member Imam Qaiser from (Round Rockg, TX) said: "20 minutes after sunset my family and I saw the crescent at 8:10 PM in Round Rock, Texas and we could see the crescent for another 15 minutes in the horizon. The crescent was thin but very visible. My friend Clay Smith called me from Austin, Texas at 8:14 Pm and mentioned to me that he and his wife also saw the crescent."

  3. Seen: 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 hours

     Surface conditions at time of first sighting at
     Tucson International Airport (805 m):
     Temperature = 24 degrees Celsius
     Relative humidity = 12 percent
     Sealevel pressure = 1009 mb
     Moderate haze

     Topocentric and local time values from “Accurate Times”:
     Sunset (at sea level) = 18:52
     Moonset (at sea level) = 19:56
     Time from new moon at 19:21 = 21 hr. 14 min.
     Moon lag time = 64 min.
     Relative altitude = 12.63 degrees
     Elongation from Sun = 12.77 degrees
     Crescent width = 25 arc seconds
     Illumination = 1.24 percent

     I tried to view the crescent earlier in the afternoon. Three offsets from the Sun about 1.5 hours apart did not present any image. I was confident of the focus and field of view for each attempt. By the time I finally found the image, the sun had set. The lower altitude had degraded the focus, and sloppy technique put the crescent out of the field of view. Sweeping had to be used to find the initial image. No good science came from this observation. Only a reminder to improve my technique.

     Crescent first observed through 8” SC telescope:
     Time = 18:53

     Observer(s): Jim Stamm"

  4. Not Seen: ICOP member, Mr. Gulamabbas Khakoo from (NewPort Beach, CA) mentioned that it was seen by naked eye.

Monday 07 April 2008:

• Indonesia:
  1. Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Mutoha Arkanuddin said: "This evening (7/4) the western sky in my site observation (Yogyakarta 110°24'E/7°47') was totally cloudy and rainy. No crescent can be seen although the mon-alt wa 11° above horizon at sunset."

  2. Cloudy: ICOP member, Mr. AR Sugeng Riyadi said: "The New Crescent of Rabiul Tsani 1429 AH, was NOT SEEN from my location PPMI Assalaam Surakarta-Indonesia (7°33' S, 110°46' E, GMT+7, elev:111 m) because the sky was totally cloudy. According to the Calendar, the first day of this month begins in Indonesia on Tuesday, 8 April 2008."

• Bangladesh: Seen: ICOP member, Mr. ABM Hassan said: "Today, Monday, April 07, 2008 the crescent is sighted from almost all over the places of Bangladesh.Ruiyati Hilal Majlish and Islamic Foundation both have announced the first date. The sky was very clear in Dhaka. The moon was above 16 degree above the horizon"

• Pakistan:
  1. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Tahir Gul Hasan mentioned it was seen by naked eye.
  2. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Muhammad Sultan Alam said: "Many scholars and students of our institute "JAMIA-TUR-RASHEED" easily sighted the crescent by naked eyes, as it was expected tonight i.e. on Monday, April 7, 2008(29 Rabee-ul-awwal in Pakistan). They sighted the crescent at 18:55 after the three minutes of sunset from the 4th floor of our institute situated in Nazimabad 4, Karachi, Pakistan. Sky of Karachi was clear. Some other scholars of our institute ("JAMIA-TUR-RASHEED" situated in Ahsanabad, Karachi, Pakistan) also easily sighted the moon in Ahsanabad at 18:55. Some members of personal moon sighting committees of our institute "JAMIATUR-RASHEED" and some other scholars reported from Attock and Peshawar that they easily sighted the moon as it was expected. Weather was very clear in Attock but in Peshawar it was Partially Cloudy. Some other reported from Texela, Kohat, Charsaddah and Pishin that they could not sight the moon due to very cloudy weather. Chairman of central official moon sighting committee of Pakistan told me on my personal mobile number that he and his all members sighted the moon and received the positive reports of moon sighting from many cities of Pakistan, therefore he has officially announced that 1st Rabee-uth-thani1429 will be on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 in Pakistan after ending the 29 days of Rabee-ul-awwal 1429."

• Iran: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Majid Marzani said: "The crescent was seen by naked eyes."

• UAE: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Mohammad Odeh said: "The crescent was easily visible by naked eye."

• Tanzania:
  1. Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Zaffar Sheriff said: "The western horizon was very cloudy. Confirmed sightings were reported from cities of Arusha and Mwanza, northwest of Daressalaam."

  2. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Hamza Rijal said: "The Moon for Rabi ul Akhir was sighted in Zanzibar island at 18:45 pm on April 7."

• Senegal: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Ibrahima Thierno Lo said: "I have seen the crescent Moon myself in Dakar Monday, April 7th (30 Rabi`al - awwal), by naked eyes. The sky was very clear. The Moon was seen also by other friends in many regions in Senegal. Hence 1st day of Rabi-al-Thani 1429H in Senegal is on Tuesday, april. 8, 2008 G."

• Nigeria: Seen: ICOP member Imam Majolagbe Monsuru said: "I have been striving to sight the moon since 6:57 but Mashaa Allahu it was seen by 07:02pm."

• South Africa: Seen: ICOP member Dr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim mentioned that he was able to see the crescent by naked eye.

• Hungary: Seen: ICOP member Dr. M. Al-Majari mentioned that he was able to see the crescent by naked eye.

Monday 07 April 2008:

1. Saudi
2. UAE
3. Jordan
4. Algeria

Tuesday 08 April 2008:

1. Indonesia
2. Bangladesh
3. Pakistan
4. Morocco
5. Tanzania
6. Senegal
7. South Africa

The geocentric conjunction (Geocentric New Moon) will occur Inshalla on (Sunday 06 April 2008) at 03:55 UT.

Saturday 05 April 2008:

• Indonesia: Seen: ICOP member, Mr. AR Sugeng Riyadi said: "The old Crescent of Rabiul Tsani 1429 AH, was SEEN from my location Bendo Ketitang Juwiring Klaten Indonesia (7°41'39.17" S,110°44'20.64" E, GMT+7, 98 m) @ 05:14 LT. The crescent was still observed between clouds. More about CASA's activity, visit http://blogcasa.wordpress.com/"

• Iran: Not Seen: ICOP member Mr. Majid Marzani said: "Seeing the crescent by binoculars was tried, but it was not seen."

• Germany: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Martin Elsaesser said: "Lunar crescent at 10.5° elongation Telescopic daylight observation, with precisely aligned/pointed telescope at 51x magnification. The crescent was quite difficult to see, using a red-color-filter, bino-viewer, black hood to block stray-light and field-sweeping technique. Crescent could not be seen at 25x magnification. Moving clouds allowed only a short period of visiblity and left no time for imaging."

• Kuwait: Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Hussain Khushaish said: "In Kuwait on the morning of Sat 5 April I could not see the wanning crescent .The eastern horizon was cloudy and hazy."

• USA: Not Seen: 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 hours
  

  Surface conditions at 05:53
  Tucson International Airport (805 m):
  Temperature = 10 degrees Celsius
  Relative Humidity = 28 percent
  Noticeable haze

  Magnitude limit at 8 degrees altitude with 55 power in C-8 telescope, before onset of twilight = 10.0
  

  Topocentric and local time values from “Accurate Times”:
  Moonrise (at sea level) = 05:29
  Sunrise (at sea level) = 06:01
  Time from new moon at 05:47 = 16 hr. 19 min.
  Moon lag time = 32 min.
  Relative Altitude = 6.62 degrees
  Elongation from sun = 8.47 degrees
  Crescent width = 11 arc seconds
  Illumination = .55 percent

  In order to practice for more difficult observations, the first attempt at viewing the crescent was made after it had risen to about 8 degrees altitude (above the mountains to the east).

  Nothing was seen, despite being focused and on the correct FOV.

  Observer(s): Jim Stamm and John Polacheck."