Moonsighting for Rabi-al-Thani 1426
May 8, 2005 (Sunday):
Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti (MCW member) from Oxford, UK reported: Not Seen
Negative sighting. At the end of the 29th day of of the preceeding lunar month (Sunday, 8th May) at our usual moonsighting site, our family could not sight the new crescent. The horizon was clear. The difference in setting times of the sun and moon over the local horizon is 40 minutes. We prayed Maghrib and waited until moonset. By well into the time of 'Isha', there have been no reports of any actual sighting from the East. We will therefore be completing 30 days for the month of Rabi' al-Awwal, and so the 1st day of Rabi' al-Akhir should be on Tuesday the 10th of May in UK.
Javad Torabinejad (MCW member) from Christiansburg, VA reported: Not Seen
This evening (Sunday, May 8th), I tried sighting the moon with no success. I arrived to the site before sunset (apparent, 8:13) and started looking soon after sunset, using a pair of 10X50 binoculars. Venus was visible shortly after (easily seen by naked eye, as well). A thin layer of cloud was covering the western horizon. I stayed there for about 30 min.
Muhammad Hafiz (MCW member) from Opa Locka, Florida reporetd: Not Seen
I tried to observe the Hilaal on Sunday, 8th May, 2005 after sunset. Its was not seen as predicted by calculation.
Hadi Jaafar, Ph.D. (MCW member) from Fort Collins, Colorado reported: Not Seen
Unfortunately I was not able to sight the moon this night in Fort Collins. Venus was easily seen with binoculars and then with the naked eye. I looked to its lower right but there were some clouds at 15 minutes after sunset, leaving little hope for a sighting.
Ruth Jeffery (MCW member) from Houston TX reported: Not Seen
Sighting of the crescent was impossible in Houston on May 8 due to bad weather.
Jim Stamm (MCW member) from Tucson, Arizona reported: Seen with telescope only
Crescent first observed through 8” SC telescope at 19:21 at Altitude of 5 degrees
Crescent first observed through 8” SC telescope at 19:40 at Altitude of 1 degrees
This is excatly what Moonsighting.com calculated (Visible by telescope and not visible by naked eye)
HiMY SYeD (MCW member) from Fremont, California reported: Not Seen
The moon was not sighted from Fremont (Alameda County) due to cloud cover. Mahgrib was at 8:04pm PDT. By 8:15 pm I walked out to my usual spots where I have had success spotting the new moon. The wind has been blowing something fierce all day here in the San Francisco Bay Area, and the clouds have been pushed towards the foothills all along the East Bay.
The winds were northerly and looking south, the sky has healthy areas of cloud free sky, yet where the moon should be, it's still overcast. Here and there are pockets of blue sky piercing the cloud cover, but in my opinion any such onsighting report under tonight's condition from the South and East Bay Area is dubious at best.
May 9, 2005 (Monday):
Hussain Khushaish (MCW member) from Kuwait reported: Seen
In Kuwait on Monday 9 May 2005 I sighted the crescent first with 10*50 binocular at 6:45 pm then at 6:52 pm with naked eyes till 7:10 pm & till 7:15 pm with binocular. The western horizon was hazy to the last 6 degrees.
Samy Khadem-Al-Charieh (MCW member) from Berlin, Germany reported: Seen
I saw the moon easily this evening, May 9, 2005, 9:45pm local time. It was even easy to find from middle of the city.
Rashid Motala (MCW member) from Signal Hills, South Africa reported: Seen
The Hilaal was sighted on the evening of May 9th in S. Africa - in Johannesburg and Cape Town - many witnesses.
Javad Torabinejad (MCW member) from Blacksburg, VA reported: Seen
This evening (Monday, May 9th), I sighted the moon at 8:14 p.m. in Blacksburg, VA. The horns were at
3:30 and 8 o'clock, respectively. The actual sunset is at 8:18 p.m.
Muhammad Hafiz (MCW member) from Opa Locka, Florida reporetd: Seen
I observed the Hilaal on Monday, 9th May, 2005 after sunset at 8:20 PM in Opa Locka, Florida, USA.
The Official first day for Rabi Al Thani in the USA and Guyana is Tuesday, 10th May, 2005.
HiMY SYeD (MCW member) from Fremont, California reported: Seen
The crescent was easily seen with the naked eye under clear cloudless skies. I began looking from circa 8:25 pm local time and only had to reach the front sidewalk of our apartment complex for the new moon to be visible. That may be due to the new moon being a day older and hence higher in the sky.
Shagufta Ahmad Qadri (MCW member) from San Jose, California reported: Seen
The hilaal was very clear today Monday, May 9, 2005 in San Jose, California. I saw it high in the western horizon at 8:35pm PST and it was visible very clearly for about a half hour.