International Astronomical Center

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent -after sunset- was on Wednesday 22 July 2009 from USA by ICOP member Mr. Hussain Dashti.

Wednesday 22 July 2009:

• Indonesia: Not Seen/Hazy: ICOP member, Mr. AR Sugeng Riyadi said: "The New Crescent of Shaban 1430 AH was NOT SEEN:
  1. Date of Observation : Wednesday, 22 July 2009
  2. Status : NOT SEEN because Hazy and low altitude
  3. Location : Bendo-Ketitang-Juwiring-Klaten Indonesia
  Lattitude : 7° 41' 39.17" S
  Longitude : 110° 44' 20.64" E
  Time Zone : GMT+7
  Elevation : 98 m
  4. Sunset : 17:37 LT
  5. Moonset : 17:54 LT
  6. Moon alt @ Sunset : 3° 30'
  According to Our Calendar, the first Shaban 1430 AH in INDONESIA will begin on Thursday, 23 July 2009."

• Oman: Not Seen/Hazy/Clouds: ICOP member Mr. Mohammed Al-Bussaidi said: "The Sun disappeared from western horizon almost 12 minutes it was supposed to set. The western horizon was very hazy and clouds and as such it was not possible to sight the crescent Moon."

• Saudi:
  1. Not Seen/Hazy: ICOP member Mr. Saleh Al-Saab mentioned that he was not able to see the crescent by telescope and the sky was hazy. He added: "It was dusty, the crescent was about 4 degrees only above horizon. I was told that about four persons in two different places reported they have seen it."

  2. Not Seen/Hazy: ICOP member Mr. Bander Albotehy said: "I tried to see the new crescent with ICOP member Mr. Thamer Masoud but we could not see it by naked eyes and binocular."

• Lebanon: Not Seen: ICOP member Mr. Bashir Jarrah said: "We didn't see the Hilal due to short lag time and due to thin clouds, we were waching as a group of persons and families: Bashir Jarrah + his family, Mourdi Algadban + his family and Bassam Alfeel."
  

• Algeria:
  1. Not Seen/Hazy: ICOP member Mr. Bankih Kacem said: "Chaban 1430 crescent wasn't seen from Merkiche station in Benisguen (Algeria). It was clear, but the western horizon was hazy. Ten persons had tried to see this crescent, with naked eyes and 20x60 binoculars, but it was not observed. Three other teams, in the territory of Ghardaïa, made this observation without seeing the crescent."

  2. Not Seen/Clear: ICOP member Dr. Houcine Chikh Aissa said: "(17) persons were present in N'tissa station and have tried to observe the SHABAN 1430 crescent but it wasn't seen. The western horizon was clear. They have used two binocular: 7*50 and one telescope Newtonian."

• Morocco: Not Seen (By Naked Eye)/Clear: ICOP member Mr. Ali Amraoui said: "Not seen . 1st Shaban is Friday 22 July 2009"

• Senegal: Not Seen/Hazy: ICOP member Mr. Ibrahima Thierno Lo said: "Seeing the crescent by naked eyes was tried, but it was not seen. For the National Committee of Hilal sighting, Friday 24 july will be 1 Sha`bane 1430 (30 days of Rajab)."

• Tanzania: Not Seen: ICOP member Mr. Hamza Rijal said: "The Hillal was not being observed in the tinny island of Zanzibar and the Mufty Office has declared that we Complete 30 days for the month of Rajab and the first day of Shaaban shall be on Friday 24 2009"

• Nigeria:
  1. Not Seen/Cloudy: ICOP member Imam Abdul Azeez Abdul-Rasaq said: "We tried to look for the Sha'aban new crescent of 1430 but unfortunately we are unable to see the crescennt due to unfavourable weather. We divided ourself into many places.
     1. Hustaz Abdul-Rasaq Abdul-Azeez Ishola (Right) ICOP Active member
     2. Qosim Agboola
     3. Ustadh Monsur Majolagbe (3rd from right) ICOP Active Member
     4. Hustaz Daud Adelakun (ICOP member)"
     

  2. Not Seen/Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Usman Dukku said: "It was raining, here in Bauchi, thus we did not attempt sighting the crescent."

  3. Not Seen/Clear: ICOP member Mr. Simwal Jibril said: "Aliyu Garba Hayatu and myself tried, although the weather was clear we couldn't see the crescent."

• South Africa: Not Seen/Clear: ICOP member Dr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim mentioned that he was not able to see the crescent by naked eye and the sky was clear.

• UK: Not Seen: ICOP member Mr. Qamar Uddin said: "This is a combined report from (some of) the ICOUK members from different parts of UK. On Wednesday 23 July 2009 many people in UK have tried to sight the crescent moon (Hilal) after sunset, but no naked eye sighting report was received as many places were cloudy. We have not received any reliable news of actual sighting from the East of UK either. Therefore, the Ulama (including Wifaq and Batley) have decided that the month of Rajab 1430 AH will complete 30 days and the month of Shaban 1430 AH will start from Friday 24 July 2009 (and 15 Shaban will be on Friday 7 August 2009, i.e. after Thursday sunset), Insha-Allah. The above decision by UK Ulama is consistent with the naked eye observation of the waning crescent moon on Tuesday 21 July 2009 in Europe, Middle East and Asia as well as the witnessing of the total solar eclipse in Asia on Wednesday 22 July 2009 (during the New Moon/Mahaq phase). Please see below a list of observer names for naked-eye sighing reports we have received to date. May Allah rewards them all for reviving the Sunnah of this months Hilal sighting in UK.
  South London (Negative/cloudy): Shaykh Sulayman Gani (plus 3 others)
  East London (Negative/cloudy): Maulana Shoyiab Nurgat (plus 4 others)
  Ilford (Negative/cloudy): Abdul Aziz Raje (plus 6 others)
  Oxford (Negative/cloudy): Dr. Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti (plus 1 other)
  Batley (Negative/cloudy): Mufti Zakariya Akudi (plus many other Ulama)
  York (Negative/patchy-clouds): Shaykh Zubair Ahmed, Ismail Miah, Bilal Hussain, Qamar Uddin."
  

• USA:
  1. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Hussain Dashti (Gainesville, Florida) said: "I was able to see the new moon with a 10X50 binocular ONLY from Gainesville, Florida USA. Mercury was also only visible with binoculars."

  2. Not Seen: ICOP member Dr. Javad Torabinejad from (Christiansburg, Virginia) said: "Except for a few open patches,the sky was mostly cloudy in Christiansburg, VA. I arrived at my sighting location right after the sunset (sunset: 8:37) and started scanning the opening patches in the WSW, using a pair of 7X50 binoculars with no success. I stayed there till 9:07 (moonset: 9:09)."

• Trinidad and Tobago: Not Seen/Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Kahiam Hosein said: " After Maghrib of Wed we looked for the crescent but it was very cloudy and the crescent was not seen in Trinidad and Tobago as well as other countries in the region like Guyana, Barbados, and Grenada.Therefore Rajab completed 30 days. However after Maghrib on Thursday 23rd July 09 the Crescent was seen clearly. Therefore the dates in Trinidad and the region for the new month is as follows: 1st Night of Shabaan 1430 AH is on Thurs 23rd July 09 and the 1st Day is Fri 24th July 09. Kahiam Hosein for Darul Uloom Moon Committee."

Thursday 23 July 2009:

• Australia: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Afroz Ali said: "The crescent was first sighted in Newcastle, NSW, and thereafter at numerous locations around Australia."

• Indonesia: Seen: ICOP member, Mr. AR Sugeng Riyadi said:
  "The New Crescent of Shaban 1430 AH was SEEN:
  -Location : Bendo-Ketitang-Juwiring-Klaten Indonesia
  - Latitude : 7° 41' 39.17" S
  - Longitude : 110° 44' 20.64" E
  - Time Zone : GMT+7
  - Elevation : 98 m
  - Sunset : 17:35 LT
  - Moonset : 18:52 LT
  - Moon alt @ Sunset : 16° 30'
  - Observer & Photographer: AR Sugeng Riyadi"
  
  

• Bangladesh: Seen: ICOP memeber Mr. ABM Hassan said: "The crescent of Shaban was very clear in the western sky. It was above 13.5 degree altitude. The crescent was seen in almost all parts of the country. 24 July will be the first day of Shaban."

• India:
  1. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Mohammad Amin Haroon said: "Today on Thursday 23-07-2009 i.e RAJAB 29 the Crescent seen clear on Horizon and that too easy. SHABAAN starts on Friday almost allover INDIA."

  2. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Mohammed Mohsin Khan said: "Thursday 23 July 2009 / 29 Rajab 1430 in India. Here in Mumbai Sunset was at 07:18 pm IST and Moonset was at 08:25 pm IST. So there was 1 hr 7 mins difference, but Sky was cloudy and Crescent has not been sighted in Mumbai city and in Mumbai Suburbs BUT it was Sighted in Most Parts of India. due to delay in Shahadat we considered Saturday as 1st Shabaan BUT Shahadat came on Friday night 24 july 2009. Official Moon-Sighting Committee of Mumbai have officially announced late Night on Friday at 10:30 pm IST (UT+5.5) on the bases of Shahadat that Thursday 23 July 2009 was 29th Rajab and Friday 24 July was 1st Shabaan 1430 and not 30 Rajab and Saturday 25 July will be 2nd of Shabaan 1430."

• Pakistan: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Muhammad Sultan Alam said: "Easily seen countrywide / not seen in Karachi. On my request, Today (Thursday 23 July 2009 = 29 Rajab 1430 in Pakistan) nearly 300 persons (Members of the moon-sighting committees of our institute "JAMIA-TUR-RASHEED" + my friends + their companions) tried to sight the moon all over Pakistan at nearly 26 places. As it was full cloudy in Karachi hence I and my other friends could not sight the moon in Karachi but our other members and friends easily sighted the moon at 10 places all over Pakistan with more than 168 persons. Note 1: Chairman of central official moon-sighting committee of Pakistan "Mufti Munee-bur-Rahman" told me on my mobile phone that after receiving the positive reports of moon sighting, he officially announced that Friday 24 July 2009 is the 1st Sha’baan 1430 in Pakistan. Note 2: After some days, inshaallah, a detailed report of this observation in Urdu will be available at www.esnips.com/web/moonnewsofjamiaturrasheed"

• Iran:
  1. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Alireza Mehrani said:

     Location: Sofeh Mount, Esfahan, Iran
     Latitude: 32° 35' 35.37" N
     Longitude: 51° 38' 35.36" E
     Elevation: 2115 meters from sea level
     Time zone: +4.5
     
     Observer & photographer: Alireza Mehrani
     Optical tools: 7x50 Binoculars & Digital Sony Camera (DSC H9)
     
     Date: Thursday July 23, 2009 (Mordaad 1, 1388)
     Temperature: 34 C°
     Barometer: 839.1 mb
     Wind: 14.4 km/h
     Humidity: 10%
     Visibility: 10 km
     The western horizon was dusty.
     
     Topocentric and local time values from "Moon Calculator" (Refrac off):
     Crescent first observation through 7x50 binoculars:
     Time: 20:03 LT (15:33 UT)
     Moon Alt: 12° 05' 04"
     Sun Alt: 0° 07' 02"
     Elongation: 21° 17' 20"
     Moon width: 1.14'
     Moon Age: 36h 59m after conjunction
     
     Sunset: 20:06 LT (15:36 UT)
     
     Crescent first observation through naked eyes:
     Time: 20:08 LT (15:38 UT)
     Moon Alt: 11° 03' 41"
     
     Time: 20:40 LT (16:10 UT)
     Moon Alt: 4° 33' 14"
     Sun Alt: - (6° 51' 55")
     Elongation: 21° 39' 23"
     Rel Azi: - (18° 26' 08")
     Moon Width: 1.17'
     Moon Phase: 3.72%
     Moon Age: 37h 36m after conjunction
     
     Focal Length: 78 mm
     F-Number: F/4
     ISO-Speed: ISO-80
     Exposure Time: 1 sec
     

     

  2. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Hossein Janghorbani said:
     From: The Astronomy and Geophysics Centre Of Shahreza & Women Astronomy and Geography Society of Isfahan Province
     Reporter: Hossein Janghorbani, manager of the center
     We saw the new moon crescent on Thursday July. 23th .2009(01/5/1388 according to Iran calendar), in a region located in the east of Shahreza with these geographic coordinates:
     Lat: 32° N
     Lon: 51° 52' E
     Ele: 1825 m
     Time Zone: +3.5
     
     The first observation of crescent parameters:
     By: Reza Ensandoost
     Through: 15x70 binocular
     Time: 19:53 LT
     Moon Alt: 13.797
     Elongation: 21.192
     Moon Phase: 3.58%
     Moon width: 1.13m
     Rel Azi: -17.493
     Moon Age: 36h 49m
     
     The first observation of crescent parameters:
     By: Reza Janghorbani & Meysam Safian
     Through: eye
     Time: 20:02 LT
     Moon Alt 11.951
     Elongation: 21.278
     Moon Phase: 3.60%
     Moon width: 1.13m
     Rel Azi: -17.606
     Moon Age: 36h 58m
     
     The group was divided two and all of them observed the crescent
     The group members:
     

     1. Arezoo Tabibian
     2. Masoomeh Ansari
     3. Motahereh Payan
     4. Marzieh Baghestani
     5. Mina Baghestani
     6. Marzieh Asgari
     7. Mahsa Amiri
     8. Malihehsadat Moosavi
     9. Sareh Dabiri
     10. Foroogh Yaghoobi
     11. Marzieh Manavi
     12. Samira Manavi
     13. Maryam Kaji
     14. Tanin Zahedi
     15. Naeemehsadat Saniee
     16. Atieh Pakdel
     17. Fatemeh Dehghan
     18. Reyhaneh Dadvand
     19. Zinat Ghermezi
     20. Roya Ghermezi
     21. Hakimeh Ghermezi
     22. Ziba Hafar
     23. Masoomeh Hafar
     24. Zahra Fallahi
     25. Mohammad Mahdy Payan
     26. Mohammad Reza Payan
     27. Davood Javeri
     28. Heydar Ali Baghestani
     29. Javad Amiri
     30. Ahmad Reza Ansaripoor
     31. Amir Ansari
     32. Mahdy Dadkhah
     33. Mohammad Gharaghani
     34. Sayed Abolfazl Kahangi
     35. Sadegh Gharaghani
     36. Benyamin Amiri
     37. Hatef Morovvat
     38. Mohammad Mahdy Motavasel
     39. Behnam Rezaee
     40. Reza Ensandoost
     41. Majid Heydari
     42. Mohammad Javad Nikeghbal
     43. Reza Janghorbani
     44. Ali Janghorbani
     45. Hossein Janghorbani 
     

     
     

• Saudi:
  1. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Bander Albotehy said: "The crescent was seen easily by naked eyes and a binocular few minutes after the sunset."
     

  2. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Saleh Al-Saab said: "It was visible ONE minute after sunset by telescope and binocular and naked eye after about six minutes."

• Bahrain: Seen: ICOP member Mr. A.Hameed Ali Haji said: "The crescent was seen easily by telescope after sun set and also by naked eyes with Walialaser group."

• Libya: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Salem Sahid mentioned that he was able to see the crescent by naked eye.

• Morocco:
  1. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Gerhard Ahmad Kaufmann said: "I'm currently for my summer vacation near the city of Agadir in Morocco, so I had the chance to do a crescent observation from here. The crescent was easily seen a couple of minutes after sunset, and remained visible for about 45 minutes until it disappeared in a layer of haze close to the horizon."

  2. Seen: ICOP member Mr. Kadir Yucel said: "I'm in Morocco, Tanger for holidays with my family. Four persons including myself could see the moon easily with naked eyes."

• Ghana: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Abdul-Aziz Anyang said: "Since the moon age was less than 16 hrs old yesterday (Wednesday July 22, 2009) and very close to the sun at sunset, it was impossible to see the crescent. Today (Thursday July 23, 2009) though it was a little cloudy at the time of sunset, the crescent was clearly seen behind the clouds an when the clouds moves away from the young crescent. Friday, July 24, 2009 then becomes the first day of Shaban. The crescent was even seen in the farthest part of our region (ie upper-west region where Ghana shares the same border with Burkina Faso."

• Tanzania: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Fuad Bafana said: "Clearly Seen By Naked Eyes From Mbezi Beach Area of Dar es Salaam."

• Nigeria: Seen: ICOP member Mr. Usman Dukku said: "This evening too it was raining, here in Bauchi, therefore we did not look for the crescent. However, our collaborators in Dukku, about 120 km NE of Bauchi, reported sighting the crescent easily."

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

• Norway: Not Seen/Cloudy: ICOP member Mr. Milad Ali Ershaghi said: "I tried to sight the new moon of Sha'ban 1430 this evening (Thursday, 23 July 2009) from 10:08pm until 10:15pm in Ullernasen located in Oslo, Norway - with coordinates of 59.9415 N latitude and 10.656 E longitude and an altitude of 143.5 meters. Local sunset time was 10:08pm and moonset time was 10:15pm. The sky was cloudy - and I was unable to see the new moon."

• USA: Seen: ICOP member Dr. Javad Torabinejad from (Blacksburg, Virginia) said: "This evening (Thursday, July 23, 2009), using a pair of binoculars (7X50), I sighted the crescent moon at 8:16 (official sunset: 8:36) in Blacksburg, VA. The first naked eye sighting was 2 minutes later. The actual sunset occured at 8:24 (sun set behind distant mountains). It was 8:56 when I saw Mercury for the first time and only with the aid of the pair of binoculars. It took 11 more minutes before it dispapred behind the mountain."

Thursday 23 July 2009:

1. Indonesia
2. Saudi
3. UAE
4. Bahrain
5. Kuwait
6. Qatar
7. Jordan
8. Egypt (Claim of Sighting)

Friday 24 July 2009:

1. Bangladesh
2. India
3. Pakistan
4. Iran
5. Oman (30 Days of Rajab)
6. Morocco (30 Days of Rajab)
7. Senegal (30 Days of Rajab)
8. Tanzania (30 Days of Rajab)
9. Ghana
10. South Africa