Moonsighting for Rabi-al-Thani 1433
1433 AH
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The Astronomical New Moon is on February 21, 2012 (Tuesday) at 22:35 UT. On Tuesday, February 21, it can not be seen anywhere in the world even by telescopes. On Wednesday, February 22, 2012, it can be seen in Europe, Northern Africa, with some difficulty. However, it should be easily seen in North Amrica. On Thursday, February 23, it can be in the rest of the world (See visibility curves).

Sighting Reports

The earliest reported sighting of the new crescent was on February 22, 2012 from Iran.


Tuesday, 21 February 2012:

    No reports of Moonsighting were expected.

Wednesday, 22 February 2012:

  • Indonesia:

    1. Not Seen: AR Sugeng Riyadi (MCW member) from Surakarta, Java reported: On Wednesday Feb 22, 2012; the New Crescent of Rabiul Akhir 1433 AH was NOT SEEN from Assalaam Observatory because the altitude of the moon was low (under 2 deg) from Surakarta - Central Java - Indonesia and also sky was hazy.

  • Iran:

    1. Seen w/Binoculars: Alireza Mehrani (MCW member) from Esfahan reported:
      
      Date: New Moon on Wednesday February 22, 2012 (Esfand 3, 1390)
      Temperature: 2.4 C� (36.32 F�)
      Wind: 7.2 km/h
      Humidity: 29%
      Barometer: 846.9 mb
      Visibility: 10 km
       
      Crescent first observation through 15x80 binoculars:
      Time: 18:14 LT (14:44 UT)
      Moon Alt: 2� 52' 06"
      Sun Alt: - (4� 53' 02")
      Elongation: 8� 28' 04"
      Rel Azi: 3� 24' 36"
      Moon Width: 0.17'
      Moon Phase: 0.66%
      Moon Age: 16h 09m after conjunction
       
      Crescent last observation through 15x80 binoculars:
      Time: 18:26 LT (14:56 UT)
      Moon Alt: 0� 26' 41"
      Sun Alt: - (7� 23' 02")
      Elongation: 8� 32' 52"
      Rel Azi: 3� 26' 27"
      Moon Width: 0.17'
      Moon Phase: 0.67%
      Moon Age: 16h 21m after conjunction
      
      
      

  • Kuwait:

    1. Not Seen: Hussain Khushaish (MCW member) from Kuwait reported: In Kuwait at Kabad Desert on Wed 22 Feb 2012 I could not see the crescent even with 8" telescope.I was able to see Venus, Jupiter and even Mercury one hour before sunset but I could not seen the crescent. Later Mercury was seen with naked eyes. The weather was clear on the western horizon.

  • Malaysia:

    1. Not Seen: Zaki Afifi (MCW member) from Seremban reported: Despite not seeing the crescent on Wednesday, Feb 22, the government has ruled that Thursday is the first day of rabiul akhir by means of calculation.

    2. Not Seen: Firdaus Mazlan (MCW member) from Johor Bahru reported: On Wednesday, 22th February 2012 M equal to 29 Rabi-al-Awwal 1433 H, my friend (Mr. Jamaluddin bin Abu Bakar, Muhammad Ibrahim bin Jamil, and Mohd Hizri bin Md Aris) cannot see the new moon either with telescope or with naked eye at Baitul Hilal, Teluk Kemang, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia (02:26:43.0 N , 101:51:16.0 E). It because the horizon is very cloudy. So, tomorrow, 23th February 2012 M (Thursday) is still 30th Rabi-al-Awwal 1433 H.

  • Pakistan:

    1. Not Seen: Sultan Alam (MCW member) from Karachi reported: Today, on my request, nearly 100 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 17 places but the moon could not be sighted, as it was astronomically expected tonight. It was clear or little hazy at nearly all places.
      Note 1: Today (Wednesday, 22 February 2012) the conditions of the moon were so defective in the half world especially in Pakistan that according to the all old and new criteria of moon-sighting, there was no solid proof in the history of astronomy to sight such a moon by naked eyes in Pakistan.
      Note 2: Chairman of central official moon-sighting committee of Pakistan "Mufti Munee-bur-Rahman" told me on my mobile phone that as he did not receive any positive report of moon sighting from all over Pakistan, therefore he officially announced that Thursday 23 February 2012 is the 30th Rabee-ul-Awwal 1433 and 1st Rabee-uth-Thani 1433 will fall on Friday 24th February 2012.

  • South Africa:

    1. Not Seen: Rashid Motala (MCW member) from Durban reported: No sighting of the Hilaal this evening, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, all negative.

  • UK:

    1. Not Seen in UK, But seen in Morocco: Qamar Uddin (MCW member) from York reported: On Wednesday, 22 February 2012 (29 Rabiul Awwal 1433 AH) many people from throughout UK have attempted to sight the crescent moon (Hilal) of Rabiul Thani after sunset. None of the groups were able to sight the Hilal, as most places were totally cloudy and raining. However, we have received reliable sighting reports (Muhaqaq-Ruyat-Basari) from Morocco Awqaf Ministry by fax.
      Therefore, the Wifaq/Batley Ulama have decided that the month of Rabiul Awwal 1433 AH will have 29 days and the month of Rabiul Thani 1433 AH will start from Thursday 23 February 2012, Insha-Allah.

    2. Not Seen in UK, But seen in Morocco: Aziz Raje (MCW member) from Ilford Essex reported: We had rain or heavy clouds in most places in the UK on Wednesday evening 22nd February so we were not able to look for the Hilal. However we have received written confirmation of actual sighting from the Ministry of Awqaf in Morocco. Wifaq ul Ulama have therefore decided that we will have 29 days of the Month of Rabi ul Awwal and the Month of Rabi ul Thani 1433 in the United Kingdom will commence from Thursday 23rd February 2012 Insha Allah.

  • USA:

    1. Not Seen: Khalid Shaukat (MCW member) from Washington DC reported: I tried to see the moon as it was expected to be visible in USA, but the sky was cloudy, and I could not see the moon.

    2. Not Seen: Javad Torabinejad (MCW member) from Blacksburg VA reported: This evening (Wednesday, February 22, 2012), the crescent moon of Rabi-al-Thani was not sighted in Blacksburg, VA (Lat: 37� 15' 40" N, Lng: 80� 26' 56" W, and elevation: 646 meters). I arrived at my sighting location at 6:03 pm EST (sunset: 6:08 pm) and started scanning the mostly cloudy western horizon, using a pair of binoculars (7X50). I stayed there till 6:53 pm, hoping for clear patches to appear to no avail (moonset: 7:10 pm). At 6:35 pm, the temperature, dew point, relative humidity, and pressure were 50.0 F, 44.6 F, 82%, and 29.63 in, respectively.

    3. Seen: John Caldwell (MCW member) from McDonald Observatory, TX reported: Today, Feb 22, Wednesday, the sunset was 18:49, moonset was 19:50. Sky conditions were partially cloudy and heavy smoke due to bush fire in Mexico. Using 15x50mm binoculars with image stabilization, I saw the moon at about 19:20. It was easy with naked eye after that.

    4. Seen: Zachary Twist (MCW member) from Hayward CA reported: On Wednesday evening, Feb. 22, 2011, I sighted the new moon of Rabi al-Thani with my wife and three children on our patio in the hills of Hayward, CA (94541) overlooking the San Francisco Bay Area. The sun set at 5:55 and it was a clear sky with a few very small, very thin clouds across the western sky. At 6:17pm, without the use of any optical aides, we all clearly saw the very thin crescent moon approximately 5-6 fingers above the horizon, directly above where the sun had set. The crescent's orientation was pointing straight up with its tips at 4 and 8 o'clock. The moon became increasingly bright and visible, remaining in the sky for well over 30 mins as it moved lower and to the right until about 6:50 when it dissipated in the dark night sky just above the horizon.
      (I also heard from expert moon-sighter Youssef Ismail, who described seeing the similarly placed and oriented crescent at 6:13 in a location 30 miles southwest of my location.)

    5. Seen: Mohammed Yahya Shaikh (MCW member) from Anaheim CA reported: The moon for Rabi-Al-Thani was easily seen (naked eye) at 6:05 PM in anaheim on Wednesday February 22 2012. New hilal was approximately 6-8 degrees above the horizon and the horns were beween 5 and 7 o'clock. This moon should have be seen by many through out CA as moon set was almost an hour after Maghrib Salat.

Thursday, 23 February 2012:

  • Australia:

    1. Seen: Dr. Shabbir Ahmed (MCW member) Imam of Rooty Hill Mosque Sydney, NSW reported: On Thursday 23rd February 2012, the Hilaal of RABI�UL THAANI 1433 has been sighted in Wyndham, West Darwin. Hence, the Hilaal Committee and Majlisul Ulamaa� of Australia have declared that the month of RABI�UL THAANI 1433 will start from Friday 24th February 2012.

    2. Not Seen: Zahid Hafeez (MCW member) from Canberra, ACT reported: The new moon wasn't visible in Canberra tonight (Thursday, Feb 23) despite excellent viewing conditions. I calculated the crescent to be about 34 hours old at moonset but moonset is only 20 minutes after sunset which made it difficult to see in the still bright sky.

    3. Not Seen, But seen elsewhere in Australia: Engr Manzoor A Mian (MCW member) from Melbourne, VIC reported: We were unable to sight crescent in Melbourne on Thusrday 23/2/12 although it was perfect weather, clear sky as well as horisen was perfect to sight crescent. I am to report you it was sighted in Wyndham (western Australia close to Darwin) hence the 1st day of Rabbi ul-Thani was Friday, the 24th of February 2012.

  • Indonesia:

    1. Not Seen (Cloudy): AR Sugeng Riyadi (MCW member) from Surakarta, Java reported: On Thursday Feb 23, 2012; the New Crescent of Rabiul Akhir 1433 AH was NOT SEEN from Assalaam Observatory. We are about 50 students of CASA (Astronomy Club of Assalaam Students) male and female, and 3 students from Ma'had Aly Annur Sukoharjo. The sky was totally cloudy.

  • Malaysia:

    1. Seen: Zaki Afifi (MCW member) from Seremban reported: On Thursday, approx 7:35pm local time, crescent was seen by myself and the prayer congregation right after the maghrib prayer in Seremban, Malaysia.
      Despite not seeing the crescent on wednesday, the government has ruled that Thursday is the first day of rabiul akhir by means of calculation.

  • Mauritius:

    1. Seen: Goolam Tegally (MCW member) from Port Louis reported: Hilal was easily sighted this evening here in Mauritius. 1st Rabi al Thani shall be Friday 24 February.

  • Saudi Arabia:

    1. Seen: Luqmaan Williams (MCW member) from Madinah reported: I witnessed the Crescent in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, February 23, 2012 c.e. Camera didn't do a good job of capturing the crescent and I didn't have my device for the camera to upload the photo.

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