heddaya@bu-cs.BU.EDU (Abdelsalam Heddaya) (04/02/89)
[I am posting this for: (Mohib N. Durrani) mnd@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu so, please reply to him. Thanks. ---AH] ****************************************************************************** Bismillah hir-Rahman nir-Rahim ( I begin with the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful ) THE MUSLIM STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION (MSA) of COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 102 Earl Hall, Columbia University, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10027 SUBJECT: CRESCENT MOON: FIRST VISIBILITY (every lunar month) ************************************************************** NEXT CRESCENT (NEW) MOON: 1989 APR 6/7 (Thu/Fri) (*) for the 9th. Islamic Month of RAMADAN (fasting), 1409, starting on Fri/Sat 7/8 Apr 1989, for USA and S.America, and on Sat 8 Apr 1989, for points West of San Francisco. (*) Hilal (crescent) sightings would be in the evenings, at least 10 minutes after sunset, usually before 20 minutes, and upto 40 to 90 minutes after sunset; near and along the sun's path. We are conducting research/survey on the recorded WORLD-WIDE first sightings of the "CRESCENT MOON, FIRST VISIBILITY" in the evenings, for every lunar month. Some TECHNICAL INFO. is at the end. PHOTOGRAPHS / SLIDES ARE MOST WELCOME since they are very helpful in the research. Please also pass on the request to your friends who are interested in astronomy/physics and to your local amateur astronomy associations. We would very much like to hear from you. Please respond either by email or by letter. The survey results are to enhance the present ATMOSPHERIC MODEL and fine tune some parameters regarding SCATTERING/VISION. When reporting actual Crescent-Hilal sightings, (even if you do not see it) PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: Was Hilal visible to naked eye?......... Hilal sighted in binoculars?......... EXACT TIMES: Complete Sunset at......... Hilal First Visible....... End....... Weather condition: Rel.Humidity......... Temperature..... Pressure............ Sky near western horizon: Clear?........ Hazy?........... Cloudy?............. Observer: Age.... Eyesight: Glasses?.... Far sighted?.... Near sighted?....... Name....................... Date........ Location............................. Thanks. Email to: mnd@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Mohib.N.Durrani) Mail: Dr.Mohib.N.Durrani Islamic Amateur Astronomers Association (Research Division) 601 West 113 Street, Suite 11-K Columbia University NEW YORK, N.Y. 10025 United States of America Some ORBITAL details for the SUN and MOON: Lunation No.: 820 New Moon (not crescent visible moon): 1989 Apr 6d 03h 33m UT (Universal Time) (Universal Time, i.e. mean solar time on the meridian of Greenwich) EQUATORIAL coords.(for 0h UT) ECLIPTIC coords.(for 0h UT) Date Sun Sun MOON MOON Sun MOON MOON APR R.A. Decl. R.A. Decl. Long. Long. Lat. '89 Alpha Delta Alpha Delta Lambda Lambda Beta hr deg hr deg deg deg deg 6 1.00 6.40 0.79 8.65 16.32 14.20 3.31 7 1.06 6.77 1.72 15.23 17.30 29.43 4.23 8 1.13 7.15 2.70 20.81 18.28 44.49 4.85 1989 APR 6 (Thu) (event times are the approximate local standard mean times) (nearest) (+N,-S) (W) SUN MOON at Sunset CITY LAT LONG SET SET AGE-MOON SIGHTING ************* deg deg h m h m h m ********** MECCA-S.Arabia 20 320 18 15 18 43 12 02 DIFFICULT MOSCOW-USSR 56 320 18 48 19 48 12 35 DIFFICULT CAIRO-Egypt 30 330 18 21 18 57 12 48 DIFFICULT ISTANBUL-Turk 40 330 18 29 19 12 12 56 DIFFICULT CAPETOWN-S.Af -35 340 17 48 17 46 12 55 IMPOSSIBLE LAGOS-Nigeria 10 355 18 10 18 38 14 17 DIFFICULT # GREENWICH-Engl 50 0 18 40 19 40 15 07 PROBABLE DAKAR-Senegal 10 20 18 10 18 42 16 02 PROBABLE RIO DeJENEIRO -20 45 17 57 18 14 17 24 DIFFICULT PARAMARIBO-Suri 0 55 18 06 18 38 18 13 PROBABLE # NEW YORK-USA 40 75 18 29 19 36 19 56 PROBABLE # SAN FRANCISCO 40 120 18 29 19 46 22 56 MOST PROBABLE # (add 1 hr to event time, for Daylight saving time) ************* International Date Line *********************** 1989 APR 6 (Thu) (event times are the approximate local standard mean times) (nearest) (+N,-S) (W) SUN MOON at Sunset CITY LAT LONG SET SET AGE-MOON SIGHTING ************* deg deg h m h m h m ********** SIDNEY-Austra -35 210 17 48 17 35 4 15 IMPOSSIBLE TOKYO-Japan 35 220 18 25 18 41 5 32 IMPOSSIBLE PEKING-China 40 245 18 29 18 53 7 16 IMPOSSIBLE JAKARTA-Indon -10 250 18 01 18 04 7 08 IMPOSSIBLE DACCA-B.Desh 20 270 18 15 18 34 8 48 IMPOSSIBLE AGRA-India 30 280 18 21 18 47 9 32 IMPOSSIBLE PESHAWAR-Pak 35 290 18 25 18 55 10 12 IMPOSSIBLE BUKHARA-USSR 40 295 18 29 19 05 10 36 IMPOSSIBLE TEHRAN-Iran 35 310 18 25 19 00 11 32 IMPOSSIBLE For most of these cities (Sidney-Tehran) the Cresent will be VISIBLE on Fri 7 Apr 1989. Please note that the Islamic dates start from sundown of a previous day. ******************************************************************************