Prediction of the Start of Month of Dhu Al-Hejja 1427 Hejriah

The Calculations are done for the Longitude and Latitude of

Makkah AlMukarramah Area and the times are for the Local Time of Saudi Arabia

Makkah Al-Mukarramah: Latitude = 21.45 ° N , Longitude = 39.82 ° E

[ (30 Dhu Al-Qada 1427 Hejriah, 21 December 2006) ]

[ (01 Dhu Al-Hejja 1427 Hejriah, 22 December 2006) ]

New Moon of Dhu Al-Hejja Occurs on Monday 20 December 2006 at 5:02 p.m.

Day	(2006) Date	Moon Rise	Sun Rise	Moon Set	Sun Set	Moon altitude & azimuth at sunset	According to: ing to
							UmmUlQura	Prediction
Wed.	20 / 12	6:43	6:53	17:30	17:44	Below horizon	29 DhuAlQada	29 DhuAlQada
Thu.	21 / 12	7:41	6:53	18:30	17:44	8.1 º , 236 º	30 DhuAlQada	30 DhuAlQada
Fri.	22 / 12	8:36	6:54	19:34	17:45	19.8 º , 231 º	01 DhuAlHejja	01 DhuAlHejja
Sat.	30 / 12	14:01	6:57	2:38	17: 49	Arafa Day	09 DhuAlHejja	09 DhuAlHejja

According to the astronomical calculations, the birth of the new moon (conjunction) occurs about 42 minutes before the sunset, but the moon sets before the sun by about 14 minutes on Wednesday 20 December 2006 in Makkah AlMukkaramah, therefore, according to calculations, it is not possible to sight the moon on that evening due to its absence below the horizon as indicated in the above table. But on the evening (just after the sunset) of Thursday 21 December 2006, which should be the 30^th of Dhu Al-Qada 1427 H, it may be possible to sight the crescent because the age of the moon will be about 25 hours, stays about 46 minutes above the horizon, and the magnitude of its visible part is about 1.4 % of that of the full moon. For crescent sighting: provided that the sky is clear, free of clouds and dust, at the sunset, the altitude of the moon above the horizon will be about 8 degrees, it is about 9 degrees to left (south) of the setting sun, and the shape of the crescent moon will be slightly tilted to the left as shown in the figure. Accordingly, previous calculation indicates that the first day of Dhu Al-Hejja will be on Friday 22 December 2006 as indicated in the table.

The conclusion is that, Inn-Shaa-Allah, Friday 22 December 2006 will be the first day of the month of Dhu Al-Hejja 1427 H and the Arafa Day (the ninth day of month of Dhu Al-Hejja) will fall on Saturday 30 December 2006, and Allah has the knowledge (wAllahuAllam).

Some believes that if conjunction happens before sunset then the moon sets always after sunset. That is not true for some cases, because the mentioned conjunction if the geocentric one which assumes a virtual observer at the Earth center, while observers on the surface of the Earth see conjunction (topocentric conjunction) at different times. In case the topocentric conjunction happens before sunset at location, then the moon will set after sunset at that location.

The above prediction is based on astronomical formulas and calculations and may be used for the purpose of a general guidance and one should go with the method of actual sighting of the moon, the method which, our Prophet Mohammad SallAllhuAlihiWassallam guided and ordered us to observe and follow, and Allah has the knowledge.

Dr. Ali Mohammad Al-Shukri, Chairman of Physics Department, Physics Department, KFUPM, Box 5047, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia , Phone: 860-2255 - fax: 860-2293

email: alshukri@kfupm.edu.sa or c-phys@kfupm.edu.sa

Homepage: http://faculty.kfupm.edu.sa/phys/alshukri