International Astronomical Center

The geocentric conjunction (Geocentric New Moon) will occur Inshalla on (Wednesday 23 August 2006) at 19:10 UT.

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent was on Friday 25 August 2006 by ICOP member Mr. Alireza Mehrani from Iran.

Thursday 24 August 2006:

• Indonesia: ICOP member, Mr. Mutoha MMC said: "With 4 members of Jogja Astro Club & 10 members of Colombo After School Astronomy Club (CASAC) we observe for hilal of Shaban 1427 H. from Parangkusumo Beach, Jogja, Indonesia. But, we could not see it. Report for Rukyat Hilal Indonesia for Shaban 1427 by link here: (http://rukyatulhilal.tripod.com/syaban1427.html)."

• Pakistan: ICOP member Mr. Shahid Iqbal said: "Moon was not seen through out Pakistan today on official 28 Rajab 1427 Hijri."

• Iran:
  • ICOP member Mr. Majid Marzani said: "Crescent was not seen by 10-30*50 binocular in Tabriz-IRAN."

  • ICOP member Mr. Sadegh Farhadi Afshar mentioned that the crescent was not seen even by telescope despite the clear weather.

  • ICOP member Mr. Alireza Mehrani said:
    "Date: THU 24 August, 2006.
    Location: Esfahan, Iran (32:37N 51:35E).
    Time Zone: +3.5.
    Observer & photographer: Alireza Mehrani.
    The western horizon was cloudy and hazy."
    
    
    Thursday 24 August 2006
    Esfahan-Iran, By Alireza Mehrani

• Iraq: ICOP member Mr. Bacil Moudhaffar said: "Waxing crescent of Shaban was not seen on Thursday 24/8/2006 even with binocular. Waning crescent of Rajab was seen on Tuesday 22/8/2006 by naked eye. Waning crescent of Rajab was not seen on Wednesday 23/8/2006 even with binocular."

• Saudi: ICOP member Mr. Saleh Al-Saab mentioned that it was totally cloudy, Mr. Saab added: " Also, the next day the sky was cloudy, so the crescent was not seen by anyway."

• Kuwait: ICOP member Mohammad Zahed Aram said: "The west horizon was partly cloudy and very hazy. The sun went behind the cloud at: 18:02. I was with my best friend Mr. Eng. Hussain Khushaish."

• Algeria: ICOP member Mr. Bankih Kacem said: "28 persons tried to observe Shaban 1427 crescent from Merkiche station but it wasn't seen. This observation happened in the first day of the 4th astrocamping organised by AMNIR club of amateur astronomy."

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

  • ICOP member Mr. Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti said: "from Fez, Morocco: Not Seen. Negative sighting. I am not in Oxford to perform the sighting at the end of the 29th day of the preceding lunar month (Thursday, 24 August 2006) but I am able to report the sighting for Fez, Morocco, which is in the sighting zone [matla'] that can be relied upon for those in the UK. The horizon is clear and moonspotters there could not sight the crescent. The Moroccan authorities have declared that the month of Rajab is to complete its 30 days. This news and the expectation that there will be no possible sighting tonight in the UK itself or anywhere further East is sufficient for us to complete this month and establish the new month [thubut al-hilal] of Sha'ban in the UK to be on the day after tomorrow, Saturday, the 26th of August. Consequently, the 15th of Sha'ban is on Saturday, 9th of September of which the Night of Nisf Sha'ban, in the UK as in Morocco, should be after the sun sets on Friday, the 8th of September."

• Tanzania:
  • ICOP member Mr. Zaffar Sheriff mentioned it was cloudy.

  • ICOP member Mr. Hamza Rijal said: "The Hillal of Shaban 1427 was not seen anywhere in tiny island of Zanzibar, therefore the Mufty office have declared that the month of Shaban will start from Saturday 26 August, 2006"

• South Africa: ICOP member Dr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim said: "The Shabaan Hilaal was not sighted in Cape Town this Thursday evening, 24 August 2006 (the end of the 29 Rajab 1427 AH). The official first day of Shabaan will correspond to Saturday, 26 August 2006."

• Nigeria:

  1. ICOP member Mr. Abdul Raheem Shuaib Agbarere said: "I and another member of I C C Mall. Bolaji tried to sight the new cresent but it was not seen. As a result The I C C is counting Friday 25th Aug.2006 as the 30th of Rajab 1427.However, Friday 25th, Aug 2006 is the 1st of Shaaban 1427 in NIG. as it has been officially decleared."

  2. ICOP member Mr. Muhammed Ya'sin Qamardeen said: "The hilal of Shaban is not sighted today and report from different part of the country indicate cloudy atmosphere, therfore no hilal is claimed to be visible tonight."

  3. ICOP member Mr. Oba Ibrahim said: "I and Lajinatul_hillah's secretary [Mall A.S.Agbarere] tried to sight the new crescent for Shaaban 1427, but we couldn't see it. Hence Lajinatul_hillal[ilorin]is counting Friday 25th Aug,2006 as the 30th of Rajab 1427."

  4. ICOP member Mr. Bashir Sani said: " This is the middle of the rainy season here in Northern Nigeria and it has been raining for days. The horizon is always very cloudy."

• Bosnia and Herzegovi: ICOP member Mr. Kemal Sehbajraktarevic said: "Western horizon was partly cloudy just at the position of the sunset, what could cause the invisibility of the crescent. But, all three softwares which I use (Mooncalc. Acc.time StarryNight Backyard) shows that the crescent couldn't be seen at this day. Anyhow, the first day of Sa'ban in Bosnia officialy start today (Friday, 25.08.)"

• USA: ICOP member, Mr. Gulamabbas Khakoo said: "Unable to sight the crescent from Long Beach, CA. The sky was slight hazy, used binoculars but unsuccessful. Local time from 7:40pm to 8:20pm finally I gave up.
  Temperature: 69°F (21°C)
  Conditions: Fair
  Winds: NW 6 MPH NW 10 KPH
  Relative Humidity: 73%
  Barometer: 29.83 Rising
  Visibility: 8.00 Miles 12.87 Kilometers
  Feels Like: 69°F"
  

Friday 25 August 2006:

• Iran: ICOP member Mr. Alireza Mehrani said:
  Date: Fri 25 August, 2006.
  Location: Esfahan, Iran (32:37N 51:35E).
  Time Zone: +3.5.
  Observer & photographer: Alireza Mehrani.
  Time: 19:09 LT.
  Moon Alt: 3.440d.
  Elongation: 19.650d.
  Width: 0.86m.
  Clock Angle: from 1/1.5 to 6.5.
  
  
  Friday 25 August 2006
  Esfahan-Iran, By Alireza Mehrani

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

• USA: ICOP member, Mr. Gulamabbas Khakoo said: "Sighted the crescent for the month of Sha'baan on Friday, Aug. 25th, 2006 local time 7:40pm in Buena Park, CA. The sighting was with a naked eye and was very clear on the left side of the sunset. The top horn of the crescent was after 12:00 o'clock and botom horn was after 7:00 o'clock.

  Weather conditions were as follows:
  Temperature: 75°F
  Conditions: Fair
  Winds: S. 6 MPH
  Relative Humidity: 57%
  Visibility: 10.00 Miles
  Feels Like: 76°F
  Pressure: 29.81
  

Friday 25 August 2006:

1. Indonesia
2. UAE
3. Saudi
4. Kuwait
5. Jordan
6. Egypt
7. Tunisia
8. Bosnia and Herzegovi

Saturday 26 August 2006:

1. Pakistan
2. Iran
3. Morocco
4. UK
5. Tanzania
6. South Africa

The geocentric conjunction (Geocentric New Moon) will occur Inshalla on (Wednesday 23 August 2006) at 19:10 UT.

Wednesday 23 August 2006:

• Iran: ICOP member Mr. Majid Marzani said: "The crescent was not seen by naked eye nor by binoculars in Tehran. Location: Tehran (35:47N 51:31E). Sunrise – Moonrise : 40m 10s."