In many Islamic countries, the holy month of Ramadan is expected to begin on March 12, according to a statement released by the International Astronomy Centre.
March 10 at 9 a.m. GMT is when the sun and moon will align pivotally.
However, the statement also stated that the sighting of the crescent on March 10 seemed improbable from any point of view throughout the Arab and Islamic world, whether by eye or through a telescope.
The moon is expected to set in numerous cities across the Islamic world on March 10, shortly after sunset.
The moon is 6 hours and 22 minutes old when it sets in Makkah, 13 minutes after sunset.
In Cairo, the sun is predicted to set 14 minutes after sunset, progressing by 7 hours and 2 minutes.
The International Astronomy Centre’s Director, Engineer Muhammad Shawkat Odeh, explained that for a crescent moon to be visible, it needs to be visible for at least 29 minutes, be older than 15 hours and 33 minutes, and be located more than 7.6 degrees away from the sun. The moon won’t meet these requirements on March 10.
As a result, it is predicted that the new crescent moon will be visible in most nations on March 11, with Ramadan starting on March 12.
Odeh said that on March 11, at 15 to 25 minutes after sunset, near the western horizon, the crescent could be easily seen with the unaided eye.
Based on a variety of criteria for crescent visibility outlined in scientific research, the possibility of seeing the crescent on Sunday, March 10, appears unlikely, according to scholars including Ibn Tariq, Wutheringham, Maunder, Parwin, Elias, and astronomical observatories like SAAO, along with researchers Yallop and Odeh.
They indicate that on that day, the crescent moon will not be visible anywhere in the Arab and Islamic world, either through a telescope or with the unaided eye. However, western regions, including some parts of the Americas, might be able to see the Ramazan crescent on March 10 through a telescope.
As the Ramadan moon will most likely be visible on March 11 in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Iran, Pakistan, South Africa, Indonesia, and Malaysia, their first day of fasting will be March 12. If the moon is not visible, Pakistan and other South Asian nations will observe their first day of fasting on March 13.
