International Astronomical Center (IAC)

Visibility of Safar Crescent
(1425 AH)

Last Updated 24 March 2004 at 11:30 UT In this page:-

When to Observe ?
Results of Observation
The First Day in Different Countries
The Accuracy of The Astronomical Calculations.
Related Links.

When to Observe ?

The geocentric new Moon will occur Inshalla on Saturday (20 March 2004), at 22:40 UT.On this day its not possible to see the crescent from anywhere on Earth.

While on the next day (Sunday 21 March 2004) the program Moon Calculator by Dr. Monzur Ahmed -according to Yallop criterion- showed that it is possible to see the crescent by optical aid from the Western parts of the Indian ocean, most parts of Africa, Mediterranean Sea, Parts of South East Europe and some of the Southern parts of South America. While it should be seen by naked eye from most parts of the Atlantic ocean, North and Central America and most parts of South America in addition to the Pacific ocean.

According to the actual sighting of the crescent, the start of Safar should be on Monday 22 March 2004 in most of the countries or on Tuesday 23 March in Australia, Asia and parts of Europe .

The visibility parabola as plotted by the program Moon Calculator

- Results of seeing the crescent, and the first day of the month in different countries will be added here Inshalla as we receive the reports from ICOP's members. If you wish to be a member in ICOP, or to know more about it, kindly click here.

Results of Observation

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent was on Sunday 21 March 2004 from Jordan by JAS

Sunday 21 March 2004:

Brunei:

ICOP member Mr. Hazarry Hj Ali Ahmad: Not seen.

Iran:

ICOP member Mr. Mousa Zamani: Not seen.

Kuwait:

ICOP member Mr. Hussain Khshaish: Not seen. "On Sunday 21 March 2004 I & a group of 7 persons could not sight the crescent even with 20*60 binocular .Venus was seen easily before sunset while mercury took sometime to be discovered by the binocular & then by naked eyes."

Saudi Arabia:
- ICOP member Mr. Saleh Al-Saab: Not seen. "The clouds were more than 35 degrees over the wesern horizon."
- ICOP member Mr. Anwar Al-Muhammad Not seen. "I with 9 parsons tried to sight the new crescent of Safar-25, 5 minutes before the time of sun set in Sunday, 21 Mars 2005, in the eastern area of Saudi Arabia “Al-Aujam- 26:33N, 49:47E” at the observatory of Qatif Astronomy Society (QAS). We used a computerized 10” LX-200, GPS, telescope. The western horizon was clear but we could not see it by both naked, binocular, and telescope."
Jordan:
- ICOP member Dr. Tarek Katbeh: Seen. " Three members of JAS (Tarek Katbeh, Yousef Alfarran, Moustafa Khalil) went to observe the crescent on the top of Ash-Sharah mountains near Ash-Shoubak City (220 km to the South of Amman) which is about 1650 m above mean see level. We arrived there at 16:50 LT, the sky was clear and the western horizon was superb!and the coordinates of the location are:-
  - Longitude: 35:30 E
  - Latitude: 30:24 N
  - Elevation: 1646 m.
  - Time Zone: UT+2
  We started the process of alignment, which fortunately took about 10 minutes only! At 17:10 the Meade LX 200 GPS was ready to be used, and we tested the accuracy of our alignment by trying to observe Venus, Mercury and Mars, and in every trial the object was in the center of the eyepiece field.
  The specifications of the telescope are:-
  - Diameter: 254 mm
  - Focal Length: 2500 mm, a focal reducer f/6.3 was used, so the actual focal length was 1600 mm
  - Eyepiece: Meade Super Plossl 56 mm.
  - Magnification: 28.5 X.
  After the apparent Sunset, the coordinates of the Moon was entered into the telescope (after getting technical support from JAS member Eng. Tarek Hadi from Amman) and it moved towards the Moon, after about 5 minutes of trying to see it, the thin crescent was seen! It was very thin with differences in the brightness from one area to another, and it was not lit in one area.
  Observational Data:-
  - Calculated Sunset at our elevation: 17:56 LT
  - Apparent Sunset: 17:54 LT
  - Crescent first visibility by telescope: 18:00 LT.
  - Crescent last visibility by telescope: 18:15 LT.
  At 18:00 LT, the following values were:-
  - Moon's Altitude: 4.5 degrees.
  - Sun Altitude: - 2.5 degrees.
  - Relative Altitude: 6.9 degrees.
  - Elongation: 8.2 Degrees.
  - Relative Azimuth: -3.8 degrees.
  - Geocentric Moon Age: 17 Hours and 19 Minutes.
  - Moonset minus Sunset: 35 minutes.
  The observers who were able to see the crescent through the telescope were:-
  - Tarek Katbeh
  - Yousef Al-farran
  - Moustafa Khalil
  - Two other persons living in that area
  Trials were made to glimpse the crescent by both; naked eyes and Binoculars but without any success!
  Knowing that this was the first time for JAS to break Yallop criteria!"
Algeria:
- ICOP member Mr. Bankih Kacem: Not seen. "04 members of AMNIR club was present in the MERKICH station. We have observed Mercury at 19:15 with binoculars. Using this planet, we have tried to observe Safar 1425 crescent but it was not seen. 05 planets are (this days) visible by naked eyes."
South Africa:
- ICOP member Mr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim: Not seen. "
Nigeria:
- ICOP member Mr. Usman Duhhu: Not seen. "The sky was dusty and partly cloudy here in Bauchi."
Greece:
- ICOP member Eng. Mohammad Odeh: Not seen. "This is the first crescent observation for me in Greece! Actually at first I didn't know from where to observe! As a new comer, it is not easy for me to go to the place I wish as I used to do in Jordan! Thus, choosing a high place with clear western horizon and easily accessible was something difficult for me! At last, the Acropolis came across my mind! Yes! I did go there after three days of my arrival to Greece! And I remember it was a relatively high mountain with clear horizon from all directions!
  Great! so I decided to observe the crescent from there! After I came back from a nearby Island I headed my way towards Acropolis Mountain! Walking was something very hard for me that day! Since I played a football match few days ago and still suffering from pain in my legs and actually in every part in my body! Since it was the first football match for 9 years!
  Anyhow, with great difficulty I could reach the Acropolis! Unfortunately, it closes at 14:30! While it is 17:00 now! What to do! I found a lower nearby hill! I decided to climb it and walk across the slippery stones! It was very hard for me to reach its top! Anyhow I did and it was fine! Nevertheless, after about 20 minutes I noticed a higher mountain near me! Actually I was afraid to go there! Since I don't know from where to reach its summit! I was afraid to waste the time just trying to find out the road which leads me to its summit! However, I took the adventure and went down from the hill and headed my way to that mountain! Luckily, that mountain was very close! Where it took me just about 15 minutes to reach its summit! It was really great view from the top of it! I estimated my elevation to be about 170 meters above mean sea level.
  One hour remaining to the sunset! I spent the time just looking here and there and talking some photos! I was equiped with 7X50 binocular and few values about the crescent's location obtained from my friends in Jordan JAS member Dr. Tarek Katbeh!
  The sky was almost clear, with a band of haze that covered two degrees of the horizon only! Above that band the sky was clear and pure! The sunset was calculated to occur at 18:37! However the Sun disappeared at 18:34 behind a far mountain! I started looking for the crescent using the binoculars! Unfortunately, I couldn't see it!
  I could see Mercury, Venus, Jupiter! But not the Crescent! I believe that the crescent would have been seen if more preparation was done or using a computerized telescope for example!
  
  Sunset from Acropolis
  
  This pisture was taken from the location of observation
USA:
- ICOP member Dr. Javad Torabinejad: Seen.
- ICOP member Ms. Mary Singer: Not seen. (cloudy) "Lunar crescent not seen from Spokane, Washington. Clouds."
- ICOP member Mr. Gulamabbas Khakoo: Seen. "Salaamun Alaokum This evening of March 21st, 18:30hrs local time here in Buena Prark CA. USA sighted the crescent for the month of Safar 1425a.h. The top horn was at 2.00 and bottom between 7 and 8. the sky was little bit hazy but was clear with naked eye."

Monday 22 March 2004:

Pakistan:
- ICOP member Mr. Saif Qureshi: Seen. "The sky on 22 March 2004 in Islamabad was partly cloudly but it was clear just above western horizon after sunset. The crescent moon was easily visible. It was slightly left/above (about 3 degrees) of the Planet Mercury which is visible these days."
Kuwait:
- ICOP member Mr. Hussain Khshaish: Seen. "On Monday I sighted the crescent just when I left my work building at 17:55 which is 6 minutes before our local sunset at 18:01 .Today the sky is clearer than yesterdy so i could see Mercury more easely.."
Nigeria:
- ICOP member Mr. Muhammad Yasin Qamerdeen: Not seen. (cloudy)
Germany:
- ICOP member Mr. Gerhard Ahmad Kaufmann: Seen.

The OFFICIAL First Day in Different Countries

Monday 22 March 2004 :-

Brunei
Kuwait
Saudi Arabia
Jordan
USA

Tuesday 23 March 2004 : -

Australia
Pakistan
South Africa

The Accuracy of The Astronomical Calculations

To know about the accuracy of the astronomical calculations, then please click here

International Astronomical Center

ICOP

Visibility of Safar Crescent(1425 AH)

When to Observe ?

Results of Observation

The OFFICIAL First Day in Different Countries

The Accuracy of The Astronomical Calculations

Related Links

Visibility of Safar Crescent
(1425 AH)