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]
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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)
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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.
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