Moonsighting for Rabi-al-Awwal 1431

1431 AH
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The Astronomical New Moon is on 14 February 2010 (Sunday) at 2:51 UT. On 14 February, with difficulty it may be visible in Central and North America, and by telescope it may be seen in Europe, Northern Africa and Northern countires of South America. On 15 February, it will be easily visible all over the world except New Zealand, and Australia. See the visibility map below:

Sighting Reports

The earliest sighting of the new crescent by telscope was on Feb 14, Sunday at Tucson, Arizona, USA.

Sunday, 14 February 2010:

  • Canada:

    1. Not Seen: HiMY SYeD (MCW member) from Toronto Ontario reported: Due to overcast skies above Toronto there is minute possibility of even searching for the new moon this evening. After praying maghrib prayers at the Dawah Centre on Bloor Street West, I stepped out and tcrescent.

  • India:

    1. Not Seen: Iqbalhusen Bokda (MCW member) from Gujrat reported: Crescent for RabiulAwwal was not sighted here in Gujarat today on 14th February though the sky was clear. No part of India has claimed to sight yet.

  • Kuwait:

    1. Not Seen: Hussain Khushaish (MCW member) reported: In Kuwait city on Sunday 14 Feb 2010 I could not see the crescent even with 20*60 binocular. The western Horizon was hazy upto 2 degrees. I could see Venus only with the binocular.

  • Mauritius:

    1. Not Seen: Goolam Tegally (MCW member) from Port Louis reported: Hilal was NOT sighted evening Sunday 14 Feb in Mauritius. So Monday 15 Feb will be 30 Safar and 1st Rabi I will be Tuesday 16 Feb.

  • Morocco:

    1. Not Seen (Overcast): Ehsan H. Hajar (MCW member) from Casablanca reported: It was difficult to trace the thin Hilal after sunset on this day Sunday Feb 14th even using Binoculars; the sky was practically overcast all day and the western horizon was obscured here in Casablanca for the thirty four minutes following Sunset making it difficult to locate the new Hilal. Unless otherwise seen in other places of Morocco, I assume Safar to be 30 days & RBA begins on Tuesday Feb. 16.

  • Nigeria:

    1. Not Seen: Muhammed Yasin Qamardeen (MCW member) from Ilorin reported: We attempted to sight the new Hilal of Rabiul Awwal on the Sunday 14 evening but it was not visible here in Lagos. In a phone chat with Research officer of National Moonsigthing Committee,it was confirmed that they were unable to sight New Hilal as well (observation Location is at top of National Mosque confrence centr). Also in phone chat with Brother Simwal Jubril(Kaduna) he was not able to see new Hilal.

  • Pakistan:

    1. Not Seen: Yousuf Rajput (MCW member) from Bahawalpur reported: Today (14th February 2010, 29th Safar 1431) the weather of Bahawalpur was dry in the evening. I tired to see Moon But i am not able to see the Hilaal of Month of Rabi-al-Awwal 1431, But i was unable to see it by naked eye. The Sunset was 18:04 (UT=+5).

    2. Not Seen: Sultan Alam (MCW member) from Karachi reported: On my request, nearly 2 hundred persons (members of the moon-sighting committees of our institute "JAMIA-TUR-RASHEED" + my friends + their companions) tried to sight the moon at more than 27 places all over Pakistan but the moon could not be sighted, as it was astronomically expected tonight. In Sindh, Balochistan and many places of Punjab, weather was clear but in Sarhad and many places of Punjab, it was fully cloudy.
      Note : Chairman of central official moon sighting committee of Pakistan mufti munee-bur-Rahman told me on my mobile phone that as he also did not receive any positive report countrywide therefore he announced officially that Monday 15 February is 30th Safar and Tuesday 16 February 2010 is 1st Rabee-ul-Awwal 1431 in Pakistan.

  • South Africa:

    1. Not Seen: Rashid Motala (MCW member) from Durban reported: No sighting report on Sunday,Feb 14, from anywhere i South Africa.

    2. Not Seen: Dr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim (MCW member) from Cape Town reported: Negative sighting in Cape Town this Sunday [14/02/2010] evening. The month of Safar will be completed as a 30 day month and the 1st of Rabi-ul Awal 1431 AH will correspond to Tuesday, 16 February 2010.

  • Tanzania:

    1. Not Seen: Hamza Rijal (MCW member) from Island of Zanzibar reported: On Feb 14, Sunday, the sky was clear but Hilal was not sighted in tiny island of Zanzibar, therefore we complete 30 days and Tuesday 16 will be the first day of Rabiul Awal.

  • UK:

    1. Not Seen: Qamar Uddin (MCW member) from York reported: On Sunday 14 February 2010 (29 Safar 1431 AH) many of us from different parts of UK have tried to sight the crescent moon (Hilal) of Rabi-ul Awwal 1431 AH after sunset, but there were no sighting reports received, as some places were totally cloudy and others partly cloudy.

  • USA:

    1. Not Seen: Javad Torabinejad (MCW member) from Blacksburg VA reported: This evening (Sunday, February 14, 2010), two of us, equipped with two pairs of binoculars (7X50) and (10X50), attempted sighting the moon in Blacksburg Virginia with no success. We arrived at the sighting location well before sunset (sunset: 6:00 pm EST) to mark the sunset location and stayed till Jupiter (one of the indicators) disappeared behind the clouds several minutes before moonset (moonset: 6:47 pm EST). The western sky was partly cloudy. We first sighted Venus and then Jupiter and looked for the crescent in relation to the positions of the two planets according to the Sky and Telescope's interactive sky chart and the Abrams planetarium's sky calendar. We scanned the clear patches with no success.

    2. Not Seen: Dr. Hussain Dashti (MCW member) from Gainesville FL reported: I was not able to see the Hilal on 14/2/2010 from Gainesville, Florida. Although the sky was crystal clear with few scattered light clouds. Jupiter and and Venus were of a big help that day to locate the Hilal but unfortunately I was not able to see it. A small light cloud was in the place where the Hilal should have appeared, I don't know if that was the reason why I could not see it. I think the Hilal should have moved away from that cloud during the 43 minute lag time!

    3. Not Seen (Overcast): Imam Salim Chishti (MCW member) from New Lebanon NY reported: On February 14, the sky was overcast at sunset so we did not see the crescent.

    4. Seen with telescope: Jim Stamm (MCW member) from Tucson AZ reported: On Feb 14, Sunday, I attempted to find the crescent well before sunset, but mis-calibrated equipment kept me from the correct field of view and focus. I was at the telescope intermittently, and when I looked at 18:49 local time through the finder, the crescent was easily visible (off-center). I went inside with the intention to return in a few minutes to attempt a naked-eye sighting, but was distracted, and the Moon had set when I returned. It is my opinion that the crescent would have been visible close to the horizon.


Monday, 15 February 2010:

  • Australia:

    1. Not Seen: Engr Manzoor A Mian (MCW member) from Melbourne reported: Rabiul-Awwal crescent has not been sighted in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane of Australia so far on 15th Feb. 2010 Monday evening. We are still waiting results from Darwin and Perth in next two hour. I shall update you if there is any news.

    2. Not Seen: Dr. Shabbir Ahmed (MCW member) Imam of Rooty Hill Mosque Sydney reported: The Hilaal of Rabi�ul Awwal 1431 has not been sighted in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Darwin, and other eastern states. Although there were a few possibilities in the western states and the weather was very clear over there but no one has sighted the moon.
      After the confirmation that no one has sighted the moon in any state, the Moonsighting Committee and Majlisul Ulamaa� of Australia have hence declared that the month of Rabi�ul Awwal 1431 will commence from Wednesday, 17th February 2010.

  • Bahrain:

    1. Seen: Abdul Hameed Haji (MCW member) reported: Walialaser group easily sighted the moon in Hamad Town(BAHRAIN) on 15 FEB 2010 , it was seen by 10 in Telescope and naked eye .

  • Bangladesh:

    1. Seen: ABM Ruhul Hassan (MCW member) from Dhaka reported: The Crescent of Robiul-Awwal Shareef was seen from Sunamgonj district of Bangladesh. The sky was very clear.16 feb is the first Robiul Awwal Shareef

  • India:

    1. Seen: Mohammed Ali Qazi (MCW member) from Mumbai reported: Moonsighting was clearly seen with naked eyes in Mumbai, India, today evening Reporting moonsighting in Mumbai India today evening 15/02/2010 at 7.15pm. West, 5 degrees South (Right of West), marking the beginning of Rabiu- Awwal 1431 H.

  • Iran:

    1. Seen: Mostafa Fakhar (MCW member) from Esfahan reported: On Monday, 15.Feb.2010, looking from Esfahan-Sofe mountain (51:40E, 32:40N), moon crescent was easily seen first before sunset with 15*70 binocular and then after sunset with naked eye.

  • Kuwait:

    1. Seen: Abdulaziz Al-Sumait (MCW member) reported: Al hamdu lillah, I saw Hilal (Rabii Alawwal) after magrib prayer near Bayan Palace at 17:55 FEBRUARY 15. Sky was clear; horns 3 and 9; visible by naked eye, until 18:35. Group who saw with me were Ali Alnajjar Ashraf, Ali Waleed Bakri, Mohammad Alkandari, Basheer Ahmad Ali, and Muayyad Ali.

    2. Seen: Hussain Khushaish (MCW member) reported: In Kuwait on Monday 15 Feb 2010 I could see the crescent with naked eyes at 17:48 and our sunset was at 17:38 and it took from me 10 minutes after sunset to find it because the crescent was very thin and at a distance of 404522 Km.The western was clear.

  • Pakistan:

    1. Seen: Yousuf Rajput (MCW member) from Bahawalpur reported: Today (15 February 2010, 30th Safar 1431) the weather of Bahawalpur is very clear in the evening. The Hilaal of Month of Rab-al-Awwal 1431 able to see through naked eye on the West Horizon it is quite visible, till after Magharib.

    2. Seen: Sultan Alam (MCW member) from Karachi reported: Alhamdolillah, We easily sighted the moon in Karachi and in many parts of country, as it was expected tonight astronomically. I requested many members of the moon-sighting committees of our institute "JAMIA-TUR-RASHEED" and many of my friends all over Pakistan to sight the moon. Many hundred Persons easily sighted the moon in 3 provinces (Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab). As it was fully cloudy or rainy in province Sarhad therefore there is no positive report from there.

  • Sri Lanka:

    1. Seen: Nular Bary (MCW member) from Colombo reported: Today 29th. Safar 1431 (15 / 02 / 2010 ) in Sri Lanka. The New Moon of Rabi ul Awwal was sighted in many parts of the country hence our Hilal committee decided to start the month of Rabi ul Awwal on Tuesday 16/02/2010. "Inshaallah" I tried to sight the New Moon but I was disappointed as black clouds was covering the area where the New Moon has to be, our sun set was at 6.22pm. I waited till 7.15pm the clouds didn't move away in Colombo western sky

  • United Arab Emirates:

    1. Seen: Jafor Saleh (MCW member) from Al Ain, Abu Dhabi reported: We saw the moon of Rabi al awal at ALAIN, ABU Dhabi, UAE at 6:40 PM (Local time)

  • USA:

    1. Seen: Javad Torabinejad (MCW member) from Blacksburg VA reported: This evening (Monday, February 15, 2010), using a pair of (7x50) binoculars, I sighted the crescent in Blacksburg, Virginia. The western horizon was mostly clear. We arrived at the sighting location prior to the sunset (sunset, 6:01) and soon after the sun disappeared behind the clouds. First I sighted Venus at 5:52 and then the moon at 5:53. Right after, the crescent was sighted with naked eye. At 6:01 pm, the elevation of the crescent was about 15 degrees above the horizon. The crescent horns were approximately on 4:00 and 7:30 O'clock with 6:00 O'clock at the lower part of the crescent towards the horizon.

    2. Seen: Ms. Ruth Jeffery (MCW member) from Baton Rouge LA reported: On Feb. 14 the skies were overcast and a sighting was impossible. One Feb. 15 the skies were clear and the new moon crescent was sighted at 6:05 p.m. in Baton Rouge, LA, by two adult witnesses. Judging from past experience and present appearance, we would not have been able to sight the crescent on the 14th with the naked eye in this area.
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