mnd@CUNIXB.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU (Mohib N Durrani) (02/04/89)
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 FEB 6(Mon) (*) for the 7th. Islamic Month of RAJAB, 1409. (*) 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 and will also keep you posted on the answers. 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 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.: 818 New Moon (not crescent visible moon): 1989 Feb 6d 07h 37m UT (Universal Time) (Universal Time, i.e. mean solar time on the meridian of Greenwich) Date Equatorial coords.(for 0h UT) Ecliptic coords.(for 0h UT) FEB Sun Sun MOON MOON Sun MOON MOON '89 R.A. Decl. R.A. Decl. Long. Long. Lat. 5 21.25 -15.91 20.08 -23.56 316.32 298.43 -3.15 6 21.32 -15.60 21.07 -18.82 317.33 312.97 -1.98 7 21.38 -15.28 22.01 -12.89 318.34 327.75 -0.67 (nearest) (+N,-S) (W) 1989 FEB 6(Mon) CITY LAT LONG SUN-SET MOON-SET SIGHTING deg deg h m h m (approx. local mean time) MECCA 20 320 17 55 18 10 DIFFICULT MOSCOW 56 320 16 44 16 53 DIFFICULT ISTANBUL 40 330 17 25 17 40 DIFFICULT GREENWICH 52 0 16 57 17 18 PROBABLE RIO D JENEIRO -20 45 18 40 19 07 PROBABLE NEW YORK 40 75 17 25 18 03 MOST PROBABLE SAN FRANCISCO 40 120 17 25 18 13 MOST PROBABLE *********** International Date Line *********** TOKYO 35 220 17 34 17 27 IMPOSSIBLE JAKARTA -10 250 18 29 18 35 IMPOSSIBLE AGRA 30 280 17 41 17 48 IMPOSSIBLE The 27th of this Islamic Lunar month of RAJAB is the night of ^^^^ ^^^^^ ISRA & MIRAJ (the Heavenly Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad, ^^^^ ^ ^^^^^ from Mecca to Jerusalem to the Heavens and back). Ref: The Holy Quran, Sura (chapter) 17, Bani Israil (The Children of Israil), Ayat (verse) 1: "Glory to (Allah, God) who did take His servant (Muhammad) for a Journey by night (heavenly ascension) from the Sacred Mosque (the Kabah at Mecca) to the Farthest Mosque (the Masjid-ul-Aqsa at Jerusalem), whose precincts We did Bless, - in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who hears and sees (all things)." This corresponds to the night of 4 Mar 1989 (Sat) for locations WEST OF New York. Because of the international date line, Tokyo and the other westerly locations will have ISRA & MIRAJ on the following night, the night of FEB 7 (Sun). Please note that the Islamic and the Jewish dates start from sundown of the previous day.