International Astronomical Center

• USA: ICOP member, Mr. Jim Stamm said:

  Old Moon Crescent Observability
  ===============================
  September 2004
  
  Time from new at moonrise = 26 hours 25 minutes
  
  
  Location  = Tucson, Arizona (USA)
  Longitude = 110.9645 W
  Latitude  =  32.4204 N
  Elevation = 842 meters
  
  Local moonrise at   5:05 a.m. (MST)  13 Sep. 2004
  UT Time and Date of moonrise = 12:05 13 Sep. 2004
  
  Crescent first observed through 5x25 binoculars:
  Time     =  about 5:42 a.m. (MST)   12:42 (UT)
  Altitude =   6 degrees
  Azimuth  =  80 degrees
  Elongation of the Moon from Sun =  12.8 degrees
  Percent of surface that was lit =   1.3 percent
  
  Crescent first observed with the naked eye:
  Time     =  about 5:42 a.m. (MST)   12:42 (UT)
  Altitude =   6 degrees
  Azimuth  =  80 degrees
  Elongation of the Moon from Sun =  12.8 degrees
  Percent of surface that was lit =   1.3 percent
  
  Final observation with naked eye:
  Time     =    5:50 a.m. (MST)   12:50 (UT)
  Altitude =   7 degrees
  Azimuth  =  81 degrees
  
  Final observation with 6 x 30 finder:
  Time     =    6:00 a.m. (MST)
  Altitude =   10 degrees
  Azimuth  =   82 degrees
  
  Final observation with telescope:
  Time     =    6:55 a.m. (MST)   13:55 (UT)
  Altitude =   21 degrees
  Azimuth  =   90 degrees
  
  
  Local sunrise at   6:07 a.m. (MST)  13 Sep. 2004
  UT Time and Date of sunrise = 13:07 13 Sep. 2004
  
  I kept the crescent in the C-8 easily while I viewed it continuously.  
  It was difficult to pick up, even though in the FOV if I left the 
  eyepiece for a few minutes, then returned.  It was viewed at 6:55 a.m., 
  but I couldn’t recover it from 7:03 to 7:19 a.m.  I believe that if I 
  had stayed at the eyepiece, I could have followed the crescent into 
  (and maybe beyond) the 7:03 - 7:19 time range.
  
  Wish us luck for sighting the Hilal tomorrow (Tuesday) evening (with 
  Dr. Polacheck.)
  

• Iran: ICOP member, Mr. AliReza Mehrani said:

  Old Crescent Moon & Mercury
   
  Date: September 13, 2004
  Location: West of Esfahan State (33:15N 50:05E)
  Lens Focal Lenght: 48.5 mm
  Shutter Speed: 1/2 sec
  Aperture Value: F=2.4
  Time: 06:13 a.m. LT (01:43 UT)
  Camera: Digital Sony Camera F-717
  Photographer: Alireza Mehrani
  

  

So far, the earliest sighting of the crescent was on Wednesday 15 September 2004 from Iran by Mr. Reza Amirzadeh and others.

Tuesday 14 September 2004:

• Saudi: ICOP member, Mr. Saleh Al-Saab mentioned that he couldn't see the crescent even by binoculars, and Mr. Saab said: "The crescent was only ONE degree above horizon at sunset."

• USA:
  1. ICOP member, Dr. Muhammad Hafiz said: "Due to rainy clouds from hurricane Ivan, Hilaal observation was impossible on September 14th, 2004 in Opa Locka, Florida, USA."

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Jim Stamm said: "Dr. John Polacheck and I attempted to see (telescopically) the Tuesday evening Hilal from the top of 2750 meter Mt. Lemmon. Unfortunately we could not even make a good negative observation because of muck in the atmosphere. Although it looked like it might be clear enough at observation time, there was a lot of water vapor and dust forming a haze along the "negative" horizon that we had."

• Malaysia: ICOP member, Mr. Kassim Bahali said: "Seeing the Hilal was tried at the Al-Khawarizmi Observatory but it was not seen. The western horizon was cloudy. The first day of Sha'ban begins on Thursday 16 September 2004"

• India: ICOP member, Dr. Ali MM said: "From no place in India Shaban Hilaal could be sighted on 15 the Sep. (ie. 16 Sep 2004 is 30th of Rajjab in India)."

• Iran:

  1. ICOP member, Mr. Reza Amirzadeh said: "I was with Mr. Movahed Negzad & Mr.Giahi and located in "Akhlamad Vilage" N-W of Iran. I observed this crescent with Mr. Danesh for 10s." Mr. Amirzadeh added that the sky was hazy and they didn't try to see it by naked eyes. The crescent was seen by 12X45 binoculars at 19:01 LT, and the elevation of the location of observation is 2100 meters above mean sea-level.

  2. ICOP member, Mr. AliReza Mehrani said: "We did the observation a place 200 km west of Esfahan. The six-member group was Alireza Mehrani, Ahmad Reza Karimi, Ali Forughi, Mahdi Khorsandi, Mohammad Rahimi and Darush Zolfaghari. Eng. Ahmad Karimi was the first person who saw the crescent (by 7x42 bin). All of the others succeeded to see the crescent after him." Mr. AliReza added that the sky was hazy and they couldn't see it by naked eyes. The crescent was seen by 7X42 binoculars at 19:26 LT.

  3. ICOP member, Mr. Majid Marzani said: "The Sky Near The Western Horizon Was Hazy". Knowing that he tried the observation using binoculars.

  4. ICOP member, Mr. Pouya Boroujerdi mentioned that he couldn't see the crescent by naked eyes despite the clear weather, and he added: "I didnt see it in Tehran, but I think the other Iranian crescent searchers will see it probably."

  5. ICOP member, Mr. Mohammad Zahed Aram mentioned that he couldn't see the crescent by binoculars from Saravan City, and said: " There are many dust in the west horizon."

  6. ICOP member, Mr. Mousa Zamani said: "The Sky Near The Western Horizon Was Hazy and Black cloudes. We were 22 observer and had 8 biocular." Mr. Zamani mentions that the crescent was not seen.

• Bahrain: ICOP member, Mr. Fathi Mayoof mentioned that he saw the crescent by binoculars and the weather was clear.

• Kuwait: ICOP member, Mr. Hussain Khushaish said: "I AND A GROUP OF 8 PERSONS COULD NOT SIGHT THE CRESCENT OF SHAABAN .THE SKY HAD A FINE DUST WEATHER IN THE WESTERN HORIZON."

• Saudi: ICOP member, Mr. Anwar Al Muhammad said: "I with 10 parsons tried to sight the new crescent of Shaban-1425, 10 minutes before the time of sun set at Wednesday, 15 Sep 2004, in the eastern area of Saudi Arabia Al-Aujam- 26:33N, 49:47E at the observatory of Qatif Astronomy Society (QAS). We used a computerized 10" LX-200 GPS telescope, which was aligned in the previous night. We tested its alignment by pointing it toward Arcutoros star first then to the moon. The western horizon was not so clear. Althoug the characteristics of the moon are enough to see it at least by the telescope, but we could not see it nether by naked nor telescope. More detail is available at: www.qasweb.org."

• Algeria: ICOP member, Mr. Bankih Bankacem said: "Five members of Amnir Club were present in the station of observation in Merkiche. During 13 minutes, 03 members have seen The Shaban 1425 crescent by binoculars."

• Nigeria: ICOP member, Mr. Usman Dukku said: "Eleven of us, incuding our august visitor, Muhammad Yasin Qamarudeen from Lagos, attempted sighting the crescent in spite of the clouds but we did not see it here in Bauchi. We contacted our brothers(by phone) who attempted sighting the cerescent in Lagos and they informed us that it was also cloudy overthere."

• South Africa: ICOP member, Dr. Abdurrazak Ebrahim Snr said: "The Hilaal was clearly seen by naked-eye from all sighting localities in and around Cape Town this Wednesday evening, 15 September 2004." Below is a photos for the crescent sent by Dr. Abdurrazak.
  

• Bosnia and Herzegovi: ICOP member, Mr. Kemal Sehbajraktarevic said: "Unfortunally, the western horizone was mostly cloudy therefore the observation of crescent has not been succesuful. According to the Sheriat rule, "If at 29th day one can not seen the crescent, that hejric month should have 30 days, and therefore the first day of Sha'ban should start in Bosnia on Friday 17 September. Also, two astronomical softwares which I use (the Moon calculator as well as Stary night backyard) shows that today the crescent could not bee seen from Bosnia."

• Greece: ICOP member, Mohammad Odeh said: "Sky was almost heavily hazy! Thus, no crescent was seen even by 7X50 binoculars."

• Germany:
  1. ICOP member, Mr. Kadir Yucel mentioned that the sky was totally cloudy.

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Gerhard Ahmad Kaufmann said: "It would have been a very interesting opportunity to search for the crescent this time, as my observation point fell only slightly out of the Yallop criteria curves. But although starting to clear up completely during the following night, the western horizon was still partly cloudy at the time of sunset."

• Ireland: ICOP member, Mr. James McKenna mentioned that the sky was totally cloudy.

• USA:
  1. ICOP member, Dr. Muhammad Hafiz said: "Due to rainy clouds on the horizon Hilaal observation on 15th, September 2004 was made impossible in Opa Locka, Florida, SA."

  2. ICOP member, Mr. Gulamabbas Khakoo said: "Unable to sight the crescent this evening of Wed. Sept. 15th, 2004 here in the cities of Buena Park, Signal Hill and Long beach, (California) due to very heavy cloud in sighting area and over cast."

Below is an official Omani statement which states that the crescent was not seen in Oman on Tuesday 14 September 2004, thus the beginning of Shaban will be on Thursday 16 September 2004.

Below is an official Moroccan statement which states that the crescent was seen in Morocco on Wednesday 15 September 2004, thus the beginning of Shaban will be on Thursday 16 September 2004.

Wednesday 15 September 2004 :-

1. Saudi
2. Kuwait
3. Bahrain
4. Qatar
5. Yemen
6. UAE
7. Palestine
8. Syria
9. Egypt
10. Bosnia and Herzegovi

Thursday 16 September 2004 : -

1. Indonesia
2. Malaysia
3. Brunei
4. Turkey
5. Oman
6. Jordan
7. Algeria
8. Morocco
9. Mauritania
10. South Africa

Friday 17 September 2004 : -

1. India
2. Iran