Khaberni - The General Iftaa' Department is scheduled to investigate the crescent of the blessed month of Ramadan for the year 1447 AH / 2026 AD on Tuesday evening.
The investigation will take place at sunset, in the presence of the Iftaa' Council and members of the Moon Sighting Committee, which includes scholars of Sharia and astronomy, in addition to representatives from the Royal Geographical Center.
The president of the Jordanian Astronomical Society, Ammar Al-Sakaji, stated earlier that the astronomical data indicates that the angular elongation between the moon and the sun on the upcoming Tuesday will be roughly one degree, or less in some areas. This very low value makes the moon very close to the sun visually, and completely engulfed in its intense glow.
Al-Sakaji added that attempting to search for the moon under these conditions, especially by direct viewing through the eyepiece of a telescope or using "the reflector" or any traditional optical magnification device, poses a real danger to eye safety.
Al-Sakaji confirmed, according to astronomical calculations, that the chances of observation in this case are not possible and most importantly that the very small elongation, and the rest of the data, reaffirms that the sighting of the crescent is absolutely not possible according to astronomical calculations; due to the minimal elongation, he urged observers to prioritize general safety, as preserving the blessing of sight is more important than any uncalculated observation attempt, and eye safety is more important than any uncalculated attempt.
The International Astronomy Center stated that the sighting of the crescent for the month of Ramadan of the year 1447 AH, on Tuesday, February 17, will be impossible or not possible from all regions of the Arab and Islamic world, whether with the naked eye or using a telescope, or even through ultra-powerful astronomical imaging technologies.
