ICOP: Visibility of Ramadan Crescent 1426 AH.

ICOP: Visibility of Ramadan Crescent 1426 AH.: "Prediction of the Start of the Holy Month of Ramadhan 1426 H
The Calculations are done for the Longitude and Latitude of Makkah AlMukarramah Area and the times are for Local Time of Saudi Arabia
Makkah Al-Mukarramah: Latitude = 21:39� N , Longitude = 39:46� E
Calculations show that the birth of the new moon occurs about 4.75 hours before the sunset on 3 October 2005 in Makkah AlMukkaramah area and the moon sets about three minutes after the Sunset. Therefore and according to calculations, the last day of month of Shaaban 1426 H will be on Monday 3 October 2005 where the moon sets after the sun as indicated in the table. Then, astronomically (solely based on calculations), the first day of Ramadhan 1426 H will be on Tuesday 4 October 2005. For crescent sighting, the Moon will be about 0.4 degree above the horizon and, horizontally, about one degree to the left (south) of the sun on Monday at the sunset moment and its luminosity is about five ten thousands (0.05 %) of the full moon which is much below the ability and sensitivity of normal human eyes detection, therefore it is not possible to sight that extremely faint crescent by a human. But it is possible to sight the crescent on the Tuesday evening since the age of the Moon will be about 29 hours and it will be about 7.4 degrees above the horizon and, horizontally, about ten degree to the left (south) of the sun at the sunset moment and its luminosity is about 1.5 % of the full moon which is in the range of the ability and sensitivity of normal human eyes. The shape of the crescent moon should look as shown in the figure. Taking all the previous points into account, the possibility is that according to calculation Tuesday 4th will be the first day of Ramadhan and according to actual sighting of the crescent Wednesday 5 October 2005 will be the fir"