International Astronomical Center

The geocentric conjunction (Geocentric New Moon) will occur Inshalla on (Tuesday 28 February 2006), at 00:31 UT.

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent was on Tuesday 28 February 2006 from Iran by ICOP member Mr. Ali Janghorbani, the crescent was also seen on this day from Algeria and USA.

Tuesday 28 February 2006:

• Indonesia: ICOP member, Mr. Mutoha MMC said: "This day is Tuesday, February, 28th 2006 from my location the 3rd top building in my college was rainy so that we can sight the hilal. But, the Indonesian Civil Calendar determining that the first day of Shafar 1427 Hejri in Wednesday, 1 March 2006 base on "Imkanurrukyat" Criterion, like explained in this site ( http://rukyatulhilal.tripod.com/shafar1427.html )."

• Brunei Darussalam: ICOP member, Mr. Mahadi Mohamad Tahir said: "No crescent was reported seen on any of the observation sites in Brunei."

• Iran: ICOP Member Mr. Hoosein Janghorbani said:
  

  On Tueseday 28 Feb 2006 , we were divided into two groups: One group climbed the Damzad mountains and because of dust, it couldn't see the crescent. The second group went to 40 kilometeres far from Shahreza-to Semirom and succeed to see the crescent.
  Lat : 31° 42 'N
  Lon : 51° 45'E
  Ele : 2300 m
  Tz : = +3.5
  Sunset (at sea level) : 17:56
  Sunset (observed) : 17:59
  Crescent first observation through
  20x120 binoculars by Hadi Shabani, Ali Janghorbani:
  Time : 18:18 LT
  Moon Alt : 2.689
  Elongation : 7.625
  

  The observation was at 18:18 LT
  At first moment of of observation , altitude of moon was 2.689 and it was flickering. Some pictures are attached.

  

• Iraq: ICOP member Mr. Bacil Moudhaffar said: "Crescent was not seen by naked eye nor by binoculars."

• UAE: ICOP member Mohammad Odeh said: "Tried to observe the crescent from Hafit mountain (1000 m above mean sea-level) due to problems in the telescope the crescent was not seen! This observation can't be considered as a negative observation due to the problem in the telescope! However, on the next day, I took the below photo."
  
  01 March 2006 from Abu-Dhabi. 39.5 Hour Crescent

• Saudi: ICOP member Mr. Saleh Al-Saab mentioned that the crescent was not seen by naked eye nor by binoculars, and the sky was hazy and partly cloudy.

• Jordan: JAS member Mr. Yousef Hmooz said: "Bilal Awwad, Ridwan Abu Hilalah, Maher Al-Nammari and myself tried to see the crescent but we didn't see it because it was hazy."

• Syria: ICOP member Mr. Ayman Saddik said: "The westren horizon in Aleppo was full of clouds, that the Sun wasn’t seen at sunset."

• Algeria: ICOP member Mr. Bankih Kacem said: "A verry thin crescent was seen by 03 binoculars and telescope, some craters was idetified. Six (06) persens have observed the Safar 1427 crescent from Merkich station in Beni Isguen. Tow persens in Ghardaia have seen this crescent by naked eys."

• Morocco: ICOP member Mr. Othman Fadli mentioned it was cloudy.

• Zanzibar: ICOP member Mr. Hamza Rijal said: "Although there was no way to see the moon on Feb 28, I tried sighting the moon at my common locality without success. There is no report at any part in our island which indicates moon was sighted. Therefore, the official 1st day of Safar 1427 AH in Zanzibar will be on Thursday, 2 March 2006."

• Nigeria:
  1. ICOP member Mr. Muhammed Ya'sin Qamardeen said: "The crescent is not visible,in spite of good and clear western sky. Also report from Ilorin in Kwara state and Damaturu in Yobe state indicate negative obvservation."

  2. ICOP member Mr. Usman Duhhu said: "We did not attempt sighting the crescent here in Bauchi due to clouds and dust."

• South Africa: ICOP member Dr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim said: "All official reports received on Tuesday evening, 28 February 2006 [the end of the 29 Muharrum 1427 AH] have indicated that no moon was sighted. The month of Muharrum has been extended to 30 days. The official first day of Safar in Southern Africa [South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho] will correspond to Thursday, 02 March 2006. I was at the Green Point [Cape Town] sighting locality and although the field of vision was clear there was no sight of the moon either by binoculars [10x50] or the naked-eye."

• Germany: ICOP member Mr. Gerhard Ahmad Kaufmann mentioned it was cloudy.

• Spain: ICOP member Mr. Muhammad del Pozo said: "I tried it immediately after Maghrib Prayer. The sky was completly cover. No possibility for observation."

• UK:
  1. ICOP member Mr. AbdurRashid Ayoubi said: "The western horizon was cloudy."

  2. ICOP member Mr. Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti said: "Negative sighting. At the end of the 29th day of of the preceeding lunar month (Tuesday, 28th February) at the usual moonsighting site, we could not sight the new crescent because the horizon was overcast [ghaym]. By Isha time we do not know of any positive sightings reported. Instead, we received news from Morocco that professional observers there could not sight the moon ['adam thubut] and that the religious authority there has declared that they will be completing [istikmal] 30 days for the month of Muharram. Therefore, by following Morocco, the 1st day of Safar in the UK should be on Thursday the 2nd of March."

• USA:

  1. ICOP member, Mr. Gulamabbas Khakoo said: "Here in Long Beach has been partly cloudy and slight rain in the morning. I do not know for fact if I will be able to sight the Crescent for the month of Safar. If you get information on sighting please let me know as I have to prepare a program for the Center."

  2. ICOP member Mr. Javad Torabinejad said: "This evening (Tuesday, 28th of February), my son and I sighted the moon in Blacksburg, VA. The western sky was partly cloudy and it was even more so closer to the horizon. The slender crescent was seen in between these clouds and it was first sighted through a pair of 7X50 binoculars at 6:29 and immediately after by naked eye (sunset 6:15). The horns were pointing at 3 and 7 O'Clock."

  3. ICOP member, Mr. Belal Gharaibeh mentioned that the crescent was not seen by naked eye and it was hazy.

  4. ICOP Member, Mr. Qaiser Imam said: "My family and I saw the moon of the month of Safar with naked eyes and it was visible for 37 minutes. Brother Afzal Ahmed and Brother Dr. Naeem Silat of Hilal Committee of Greater Austin called me to confirm that they have seen the moon. May Allah bring the blessing of this month on Muslim Ummah."

• Guyana: ICOP member Dr. Muhammad Hafiz said: "Myself and the members of Rose Hall Town Masjids and Islamic Center tried to observe the Hilaal after sunset on Tuesday, 28th February, 2006 in Guyana. Due to the rain season and clouds on the Horizon, Hilaal sighting was made impossible."

Wednesday 01 March 2006 :

1. Indonesia
2. Brunei Darussalam
3. Saudi
4. UAE
5. Jordan
6. Guyana

Wednesday 02 March 2006 :

1. Morocco
2. Zanzibar
3. South Africa
4. UK

The geocentric conjunction (Geocentric New Moon) will occur Inshalla on (Tuesday 28 February 2006), at 00:31 UT.

Monday 27 February 2006:

• Nigeria: ICOP member Mr. Muhammed Ya'sin Qamardeen said: "This is observation for the waning crescent of Muharam 1427AH. The wane crescent is sighted at around 5:50"