Monthly Archives: January 2026

In the Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.

Crescent Visibility Reports for Ramadan 1447 (29th of Shaban, Tuesday 17th February 2026) & Shawwal 1447 (29th 0f Ramadan, Thursday 19th March 2026), Based on settings*

These technical reports serve as preliminary guidance for the sighting. No final conclusions will be drawn until the Moon Crescent has been observed. Please refer to the official government announcement for confirmation.

Crescent Visibility Report for Ramadan 1447 (29th of Shaban, Tuesday 17th February 2026)

Timing: (17th/02/2026) @18:00:00 UTC+4	Sun	Moon
Rise	06:37:13	06:30:19
Transit	12:19:43	12:16:20
Set	18:02:14	18:02:16
Azimuth (Degree)@18:00	250° 50.821′	249°  53.319′
Altitude (Degree)@18:00	12°  43.071′	12°  10.511′

Age of Moon: Waxing Crescent (Hilal) at sunset : ~ 0.08 days old. = 1.92 hrs

Set Time difference : ~2 seconds

According to the astronomical data report, on 17 February 2026 at 18:00 UTC+4, both the Sun and Moon are positioned very close to the western horizon at sunset. The Sun sets at 18:02:14, while the Moon sets almost simultaneously at 18:02:16 UTC+4, resulting in an extremely small lunar lag of only ~2 seconds. At the reference time of 18:00, the Sun’s altitude is 12° 43′ and the Moon’s altitude is 12° 10′, with azimuths of 250° 50.8′ and 249° 53.3′ respectively, indicating a very tight angular separation between the two bodies. Although the Moon is geometrically above the horizon at sunset, the near zero elongation and negligible lag, combined with strong solar glare and low altitude, render crescent visibility astronomically impossible, even with optical aid. These parameters firmly place the Moon well below the established thresholds for naked eye or telescopic crescent detection, confirming that no valid crescent observation can be expected on this date. Therefore we expect Shaban will continue its 30 days and Ramadan will start on Thursday 19th February.

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Crescent Visibility Report for Shawl 1447 (29th of Ramadan, Thursday 19th March 2026)

The geocentric conjunction (Geocentric New Moon) (First light touch) will occur InShaAllah on (Tuesday 19th March 2026) at 05:32 UTC+4 

Timing: (19th/03/2026) @18:00:00 UTC+4	Sun	Moon
Rise	06:10:52	06:10:38
Transit	12:13:30	12:25:43
Set	18:16:15	18:43:41
Azimuth (Degree)@18:00	265° 26.509′	267°  49.247′
Altitude (Degree)@18:00	9°  22.754′	15°  0.141′

Age of Moon: Waxing Crescent (Hilal) at sunset : ~ 0.54 days old. = 12.96 hrs

Set Time difference : ~27minutes

According to the astronomical data report, on 19 March 2026 at 18:00 (UTC+4), the Moon is a young waxing crescent (Hilāl) with an age of approximately 0.54 days (~12.96 hours) at local sunset. The Sun sets at 18:16:15 (UTC+4), while the Moon sets later at 18:43:41 (UTC+4), resulting in a positive lunar lag of approximately 27 minutes. At the reference time of 18:00, the Sun’s altitude is 9° 22.8′ with an azimuth of 265° 26.5′, whereas the Moon’s altitude is notably higher at 15° 00.1′ and an azimuth of 267° 49.2′, indicating adequate geometric separation between the two bodies. Despite the favorable altitude and lunar lag, the Moon’s extremely young age corresponds to a very thin crescent with low surface brightness. Consequently, crescent visibility is highly challenging and borderline, remaining unlikely for reliable naked-eye observation. However, sighting the lunar crescent using optical aid may be possible, subject to exceptionally clear atmospheric conditions on this day.

Please note that this technical report is for sighting purposes only and does not involve in any official declaration of the month, please follow the government announcement in your country.

Results will be published in the comments section below. Please visit International Astronomical Center for detailed results across the globe.

Click here for World Record Crescent Observations

Ramadan Kareem and Eid Mubarak in advance to everyone!

May Allah accept our fasting, prayers, and good deeds. Ameen.

For more information on this topic, feel free to explore this blog above by typing “Hilal” in the search window.