The Astronomical New Moon is on July 22, 2009 (Wednesday) at 2:34 UT. This moon can be seen with difficulty near Nigeria, and Americas. South and Central America has better chance to see on July 22. In Polynesian Islands it can be easily visible in normal atmospheric conditions.
Ahmad Abu Zaid (MCW member) Amman Jordan reported: Not Seen
I tried to sight the moon this evening (wed 22 July 2009) in Amman Jordan the The Moon Crescent Not Seen
Hamza Rijal (MCW member) Island of Zanzibar Tanzania reported: Not Seen
Hilal was not seen on Wednesday, 22 July 2009 in tiny island of Zanzibar. Mufty Office decided to complete the month of Rajab with 30 days and starts the month of Shaaban on friday 24th of July 2009
Ibrahima Thierno LO (MCW member) Dakar Senegal reported: Not Seen
On Wednesday 22 july 2009, Seeing the crescent by naked eyes was tried in Senegal, but it was not seen. For the National Committee of Hilal sighting, Friday 24 july will be 1st Sha`abane 1430.
AbdulBariu Kareem (MCW member) Ikeja Lagos Nigeria reported: Not Seen
Due to the cloud sky of Obanikoro area of Lagos today 22/07/09 where i searched for the crescent moon for the month of Shaban i was not able to see it. my friend in another state about 120 kilometers away from my location confirmed the same situation
Dr. Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti (MCW member) Oxford UK reported: Not Seen
Negative sighting. The two of us attempted to perform the sighting of Sha'ban after Maghrib on Wednesday 22 July (the 29th of Rajab in the UK). There are cirrus clouds on the local horizon and the new crescent could not be sighted. By 'Isha time there were no reports of any credible sighting east of our location; rather, we received news of negative sightings in Morocco and Indonesia. Therefore, we should be completing 30 days [istikmal] for Rajab, so that the first day of Sha'ban should fall in the UK on Friday 24 July (beginning from Maghrib, 23 July). Therefore, the 15th of Sha'ban in the UK should fall on Friday 7 August (beginning from Thursday's Maghrib).
Dr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim (MCW member) Cape Town S. Africa reported: Not Seen
The crescent was not sighted here in Cape Town this Wednesday evening (22/07/2009 - the end of the 29 Rajab 1430 AH). Negative reports from elsewhere in Southern Africa. The official 1st day of Shabaan will correspond to Friday, 24 July 2009.
Dr. Hussain Dashti (MCW member) Gainesville, Florida reported: Seen w/Binoculars
Today, Wednesday 22/7/09, I was able to see the new moon with a 10X50 binocular ONLY from Gainesville, Florida USA.
Mercury was also only visible with binocular. Sunset: 20:25 (behind far trees). Moon first seen with binocular: 20:42 and
last seen with binocular: 20:54.
Beg Tamachi (MCW member) Peterborough, Ontario, Canada reported: Not Seen
As expected from Crescent Moon visibility charts, Sha`baan 1430 Hilaal was NOT SEEN in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada on
July 22nd 2009. Time of observation was from 8:39pm to 9:20pm this evening. (Locally for today, Sunset was for 8:49pm;
and Mooset Time was 9:15pm).
HiMY SYeD (MCW member) Toronto Ontario reported: Not Seen
Toronto had a overcast skies this evening. After maghrib I walked around the neighbourhood looking at the clouds. Hence, this is a negative moonsighting report from Downtown Toronto Ontario Canada. InshAllah tomorrow night we may have better results.
Mohamed Lotfy (MCW member) Aurora Colorado reported: Not Seen
The crescent of Shaban 1430 was not visible this evening July 22nd 2009 at Aurora, Colorado. The skies were hazy and the sun glare prevented the crescent to been seen even with a 60x binocular.
Mohammed Yahya Shaikh (MCW member) Culver City California reported: Not Seen
The moon for Shaban was not visible from Playa Del Rey, Ca even with the aid of binoculars.
Javad Torabinejad (MCW member) Christiansburg Virginia reported: Not Seen
This evening (Wednesday, July 22, 2009), 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).
July 23, 2009 (Thursday):
Dr. Shabbir Ahmed (MCW member) Imam of Rooty Hill Mosque Sydney Australia reported: Seen
The Hilaal of SHA�BAAN 1430 has been sighted in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and other states on Thursday the 23rd July, 2009. Therefore Moonsighting Committee of Australia and Majlisul ulamaa� of Australia have declared that the month of SHA�BAAN 1430 will start from Friday 24th July 2009.
Engr Manzoor A Mian (MCW member) Melbourne Australia reported: Seen
I wish to inform you that Shaban Crescent has been just sighted in Melbourne, Sydney and other part of Australia on 23rd July 2009 Thursday evening.
Bambang Eko (MCW member) Medan Indonesia reported: Seen
We tried to sight the moon (hilal) of Sha'ban in our town Medan (Indonesia) and we have seen hilal at 18.57 local time until 19.11 local time (+7 G.M.T.). Altitude of moon 12 degree till 9 degree
Dr. Musa�Minhai (MCW member) Linxia, Gansu Province, China reported: Seen
Thursday On Jul 23 2009 . from 20:38 to 20:50 at Beijing Time , I and my son see the crescent by naked eye and binoculars .
The Place of Sighting: latitude:35�38? longqitude:103�13?.
Ahmad I. Adjie (MCW member) Bandung Indonesia reported: Seen
MCW Member Ahmad I Adjie & team all clearly saw the new moon crescent for the month of Sha'ban, on this day, Thursday,
23 July 2009, straight after shalat Maghrib on-location. Our team were total 8 people with 2 master sighters and 6 apprentices,
4 of them for the very first time. Location was at the northern mountainous ranges of Bandung, West Java, Indonesia and
mode of sighting is pure naked eye. The digital camera was a 10x optical zoom 8mp camera, hand-held without tripod.
Therefore, for those who follow the moonsighting after maghrib way in and around Indonesia, the 1st of Shaban will be Friday 24th July 2009.
ABM Ruhul Hassan (MCW member) Dhaka Bangladesh reported: Seen
Very clear crescent was seen in almost all parts of the country. The sky was partly cloudy but moon was seen above 13.5 degree altitude.24 july will be the first day of Shaban in Bangladesh.
Mohammed Mohsin Khan (MCW member) Mumbai, India reported: Seen
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 will be 2nd of Shabaan 1430.
Iqbalhusen Bokda (MCW member) Gujrat, India reported: Seen
Though we could not see moon here in Godhra, but it was easily seen nearby places like Lunawada, Kawi and many other parts of India, today on 23rd July. So 1st Shabam has been declared on 24 July. IQBALHUSEN (MCW MEMBER),GUJARAT, INDIA
Nular Bary (MCW member) Colombo, Sri Lanka reported: Seen
Today 23rd July 2009 (29th.. of Rajab 1430 in Sri Lanka) I was able to sight the Hillal of Sahbaan with my two sons "Mashaallah" It was clear though their was some clouds here and their. Our sun set was at 6.32 pm. Hillal appeared at 6.45pm. I called our Hillal committee and informed the observation. In Sri Lanka the Month of Sahbaan will start on 24th July "Inshaallah"
Sultan Alam (MCW member) Karachi Pakistan reported: Seen
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 than168 persons.
Max Fazel (Maqsood)(MCW member) of Manchester UK, from Pakistan reported: Seen
alhamdulillaa the crescent was seen today here in Pakistan in Gujrat by naked eyes. (Yes I normally report from Manchester, UK, but I am on holiday here in Pakistan this month).
The sighting was not as easy as I thought it would be..the sky was patchy clouds with a red haze...I, my wife and my 3 children saw the thin crescent at approx. 8:40pm (magrib was at 8:15 local time) with naked eyes...from the rooftop of our house...some local people saw us and asked what we were doing...we told them we were looking for the crescent and they also then tried but they were unable to see it...perhaps they were not used to looking for such a thin crescent ?
also strangely, I found it more difficult to see the crescent with time and by 8:50pm I could barely see it at all ! I think due to haze...
aslo, had to wait a long time to send my emal due to power cuts !
Muhammad Imran Paracha (MCW member) Qatar reported: Seen
Wednesday, July 22, We were not able to sight the moon even with 10x50 binoculars, with clear skies.
Thursday, July 23, Alhamdulillah, we were able to sight the Hilal with naked eye after the sunset today, July 23rd, here in Doha. I took a picture of the Hilal (visible just above the tree tops)
Alireza Mehrani (MCW member) Sofeh Mount, Esfahan Iran reported: Seen
On Thursday July 23, 2009 (Mordaad 1, 1388), the western horizon was dusty. Using optical tools: 7x50 Binoculars & Digital Sony
Camera (DSC H9) the crescent first observation through 7x50 binoculars was at 20:03. Crescent first observation through naked eyes
at 20:08.
Goolam Tegally (MCW member) Port Louis Mauritius reported: Seen
Hilal was sighted here in Mauritius evening Thursday 23 July on a clear sky. 1st Sha'baan will thefore be Friday 24 July for Mauritius
Milad Ali Ershaghi (MCW member) Holmenkollen, Norway reported: Not Seen
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.
Javad Torabinejad (MCW member) Blacksburg Virginia reported: Seen
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 occurred 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 disappeared behind the mountain.
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