International Astronomical Center

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent was on Monday 13 August 2007 from Guyana.

Monday 13 August 2007:

• Australia: Not Seen: ICOP member Mr. Afroz Ali said: "The western horizon was extremely clear. The crescent of Sha'ban was not sighted anywhere in Australia on Monday 13th August. As such 1st of Sha'ban started on Wednesday 15th."

• Malaysia: Cloudy: ICOP member, Mr. Kassim Bahali said: "The Hilal obeservation was done at Al-Khawarizmi observatory with a group of 6 observers and 40 students and teachers from MARA college , the telescope we used were RCOS 16",Meade LX200, borg 70mm and a teodolite. The western sky was cloudy. The sun was set behind the cloud. The hilal was not seen after sunset. According to calculation the moonset 20 minutes after the sunset."

• Indonesia:

  1. Not Seen/Hazy: ICOP member, Mr. AR Sugeng Riyadi said: "I've tried to observer the new crescent of this moonth (Say'ban), but the crescent was not seen from my sighting location (PPMI Assalaam Surakarta-Indonesia) on Monday, August 13rd, 2007. It possible because the crescent's altitude was 4.1° at sunset when the western sky was totally hazy."

  2. Cloudy: ICOP member, Mr. Mutoha MMC said: "In the sunset of Monday, 13 August 2007 me and two members of Jogja Astro Club (JAC) and groups from Nahdhatul Ulama Organization (the biggest moslem organization in Indonesia) tried to do observation of the crescent moon (hilal) from Parangkusumo Beach, Yogyakarta. Sunset has predicted at 17:39 LT, where crescent's altitude was 4,2° from horizon. Due to the unsuitable condition of the atmosphere we failed to rukyah for the hilal."
     

• Yemen: Not Seen by naked eye/Partly Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Saleh Belfakih mentioned that he didn't see the crescent by naked eye, and it was partly cloudy.

• Saudi:

  1. Not Seen: ICOP member Mr. Saleh Al-Saab said: "The altitude was 4.5 degrees, it was not seen by any of the astronomers in Saudi, BUT the famous Saudi crescent hunter!!!!!! reported to the judge who was joining us in the committee that he has seen it for more than ten minutes!!!!!! Also he reported that he has seen the crescent Sunday morning for 32 minutes!!!! On Tuesday it was easy to sight the crescent by naked eye shortly after sunset."

  2. Not Seen: Shaykh Hamza Yusuf said: " I went out on the 13th in Jeddah. The sky was very clear. No new crescent. The next day in Mekkah, immediately after Maghrib on the 14th, I saw a small crescent that was visible for less than 30 minutes."

• Jordan:

  1. Not Seen: ICOP member Dr. Mashhoor Wardat said: "I tried today to see the crescent in the southern part of Jordan. In spite of the good site, very good weather, and using the telescope, I couldn't get anything."

  2. Not Seen: JAS member Mr. Ridwan Abu Hilalah said: "The Crescent Observation committee of JAS has tried to observe the crescent from Marj Al Hamam from Western Amman, using binoculars and 8" telescope, but no crescent was seen, the observers were:
     1. Mustafa Abu Rumman
     2. Hani Al Dalee'
     3. Waleed Subhi
     4. Ridwan Abu Hilalah
     5. Yousef Hmooz
     6. Samer Derbi
     7. Mustafa Abdul Khaleq
     8. Ibrahim Odwan
     9. Basheer Saleh."

• Lebanon: Not Seen: ICOP member Dr. Raad Ahmad mentioned that he was not able to see the crescent even by binoculars, in spite of the superb conditions.

• Algeria:

  1. Not Seen/Hazy: ICOP member Mr. Bankih Kacem said: "11 persons were present in Merkich Station this monday 13/8/2007.They have tried to observe the Chaban 1428 crescent and have used four binoculars :(40x70, 60x20, 09x22 and 50x15). The western horizon was very hazy, the crescent was not seen."

  2. Not Seen/Hazy: ICOP member Mr. Houcine Chikh Aissa said: "Six (06) persons were present in n'tissa station and have tried to observe the SHABAN 1428 crescent but it wasn't seen. The western horizon was hazy. They have used binocular: 7*50."

• Tanzania: Not Seen: ICOP member Mr. Hamza Rijal said: "The moon of Shaban 1428 AH was not seen in tiny island of Zanzibar on Monday 13th August 2007. I have communicated with my colleagues in all 3 regions in Unguja and 2 regions in sister island of Pemba the result was negative, therefore the first day of the month of Shaaban will correspond on Wednesday, 15 August In Zanzibar."

• Nigeria: Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Usman Dukku said: "We did not attempt sighting the crescent due to clouds."

• South Africa: Cloudy: ICOP member Dr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim said: "The sky was totally overcast and no crescent was seen."

• UK:

  1. Not seen/Partly Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Abdurrashid Ayoubi from Kettering mentioned it was partly cloudy.

  2. Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Sulayman Gani said: "At the TOOTING ISLAMIC CENTRE IN SOUTH WEST LONDON we held a meeting regarding the issue of Moonsighting and hour before sunset. The ICOP visibility map proved very useful. Over 60 people including representatives from the different masaajid in different parts of London attempted a sighting after the maghrib prayers. The sky was very cloud and thus a negative sighting. The meeting continued. We communicated to South Africa and received news of a negative sighting. Also Morocco was contacted. And there also was no report of a sighting. We concluded that we will complete the 30 days for the month of Rajab."

  3. Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti said: "I am travelling and unable to perform the sighting yesterday in Oxford on the 29th day of Rajab (Monday, 13 August 2007). However, we received negative sighting reports from Morocco & Indonesia for yesterday. This means that the month of Rajab will complete its 30 days in the UK so that the 1st of Sha'ban will fall on Wednesday 15th of August there. As confirmation of that, I am happy to report numerous positive sightings today (Tuesday 14 August 2007) in Indonesia, so even if overcast in the UK, the first of Sha'ban would still be on the Wednesday. Happy Sha'ban and balighna Ramadan!"

• USA:

  1. Not Seen/Hazy/Partly Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Javad Torabinejad from (Christiansburg, VA) said: "This evening (Monday, Aug 13), using a pair of binoculars (7X50), I started scanning the Western horizon about 8 min past sunset (sunset, 8:16) in Christiansburg, VA, to sight the crescent moon of Sha'ban with no success. The horizon was covered with patches of thin clouds and was very hazy. I stayed in my sighting location till the moonset (8:47)."

  2. Not Seen/Hazy: ICOP member Mr. Isa Alsup from (Santa Clarita, CA) said: "First location was clear but a large tree may have obscured moon. A higher location revealed a flat hazy horizon."

  3. Not Seen by naked eye: ICOP member Mr. Milad Ali Ershaghi from (Claremont, CA) said: "I attempted to find the new moon this evening between 7:55pm and 8:16pm but was unable to. Local Sunset time was 7:40pm and Moonset time was 8:16pm. If no positive sightings are reported here on the West Coast, then tomorrow (Tuesday, August 14, 2007) will be the 30th of Rajab, and the 1st of Sha'ban will be on the day of Wednesday, August 15, 2007 (the evening of Tuesday, August 14, 2007)."

  4. Not Seen: ICOP member, Mr. Gulamabbas Khakoo from (Long beach, CA) said: "Unable to sight the crescent this evening of Monday, Aug. 13, 2007 from Long beach, California. tried to sight from 7:55pm to 8:25pm local time. The sky was clear and weather was as follows: 73deg. F clear / wind from S 4mph / Humid.64%"

• Guyana: Seen: ICOP member Dr. Muhammad Hafiz said: "The Imam (Sultan Hafiz) and members of Rose Hall Town Masjid and Islamic Center observed the Hilaal after sunset on Monday, 13th August, 2007. Based on the other reports this is earliest sighting of the Hilaal for Shaban on 13th August, 2007.

Tuesday 14 August 2007:

• Brunei: Seen: ICOP member, Mr. Mahadi Mohamad Tahir said: "Please find photos of Shaban crescent captured last night (14 August 2007) with LX-200 attached with digital camera and digital camera alone. We failed to see the crescent on the evening of 13 August. 1st Shaban start however on 14 August 2007."
  

• India: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Mohammad Amin said: "Masha Allah the beautiful Crescent seen without any problem with naked Eyes."

• Iran: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Mohammad Zahed Aram mentioned that he was able to see the crescent by naked eye.
  

• UAE: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Mohammad Odeh said: "Beautiful crescent was easily seen by naked eye."
  
  The crescent from Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday 14 August 2007, By Moh'd Odeh

• Kuwait: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Hussain Khushaish said: "In Kuwait on Tuesday 14 Aug 2007 I could sight the crescent in the following order first seen by binocular and immediatly by eyes at 18:28 (the crescent appeared suddenly from behind the clouds) until 19:12 with naked eyes and till 19:17 with 20*60 binocular. Our sunset was at 18:30 and moonset at 19:24. Photo taken by my friend is attached. In Kuwait on Monday 13 Aug 2007 the crescent was not seen, It was also cloudy. In Kuwait on Sunday 12 Aug 2007 I could not sight the old crescent, It was cloudy."
  

• Lebanon: Seen: ICOP member Dr. Raad Ahmad mentioned that he was able to see the crescent by naked eye, and the atmospheric conditions were superb.

• Algeria:

  1. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Yahia Meghnine said: "After the Maghrib prayer, a group of 3 persons have seen the thin crescent of Shaban 1428 from the city of Beni-Isguen - Ghardaia - Algeria. The new crescent set time was at 20:14 behind the mountain."

  2. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Bankih Kacem said: "The Chaban 1428 crescent was seen (19:24 LT) by binoculars two (02) minutes before sunset (19:26) and difficultly by naked eyes (because of haze) at 19:36. The western horizon was hazy and partly cloudy then the crescent set in haze at 20:16."

• Morocco: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Othman Fadli mentioned that he was able to see the crescent by naked eye.

• Nigeria: Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Usman Dukku said: "We did not organise the usual sighting trip because it was raining, here in Bauchi."

• Germany: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Gerhard Ahmad Kaufmann said: "Last month I had the intention to look for the crescent as usual, and also the weather conditions were not bad - but I simply forgot to go outside at the time of sunset, and thus missed the occasion. This month the weather conditions again were not bad, and I could spot the crescent already a couple of minutes before sunset by binoculars. Most of the sky was clear but unfortunately some horizontal cloud streaks gathered at the western horizon and around the crescent, and the crescent's contrast among these clouds was too poor to distinguish it by naked eyes. So I could only continue observing it by binoculars for about 16 minutes, then it finally vanished in the haze over the local horizon."

• USA: Seen: ICOP member, Mr. Gulamabbas Khakoo from (Long beach, CA) said: "Sighted the crescent for the month of Sha'baan here at Buena Park, California on Evening of Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2007 local time 7:55pm. The sighting was easy and with a naked eye. Weather was as follows: 73 deg. F and clear / Humidity 64% / Wind from N W 8 mph. The crescent was on left side of sunset. The Top horn was between 12 & 1 (closer to 1); bottom horn was between 7 & 8 (closer to 7)."

Tuesday 14 August 2007:

1. Malaysia
2. Indonesia
3. Brunei
4. Yemen
5. UAE
6. Saudi
7. Jordan
8. Egypt

Wednesday 15 August 2007:

1. Australia
2. India
3. Oman
4. Tanzania
5. South Africa
6. UK