Astronomically…this is the last day of Ramadan and the date of Eid al-Fitr 2026 – New Algeria

According to the center, for the countries that will observe the crescent on Wednesday, March 18, seeing it on that day is impossible because the moon sets before the sun and the conjunction occurs after sunset. Therefore, these countries are supposed to complete the month of Ramadan in thirty days, so that Friday, March 20, will be Eid al-Fitr in them.

As for the countries that will observe the crescent on Thursday, March 19, seeing the crescent on that day is not possible from the East of the world, while it is possible with difficulty using a telescope from West Asia, Central and North Africa, and it is possible with the naked eye with great difficulty from Western Europe and West Africa, and seeing the crescent is possible with the naked eye relatively easily from most of North America.

In a related context, the International Astronomy Center explains that the majority of these countries are expected to declare that Friday, March 20, is Eid al-Fitr in them as well. Given the difficulty of seeing the crescent on Thursday from large areas of the Islamic world, especially in the East and Middle East, it is expected that a significant number of countries will announce that the sighting of the crescent on Thursday has not been confirmed, so that Saturday, March 21, will be Eid al-Fitr.

Regarding the position of the crescent on Thursday, March 19 in some international cities, the surface calculations of the crescent at sunset are as follows:

– Jakarta: The moon sets 10 minutes after sunset. It is 11 hours and 23 minutes old, and its distance from the sun is 5.2 degrees, and viewing is not possible even using a telescope.

– Abu Dhabi: The moon sets 29 minutes after sunset. It is 14 hours and 12 minutes old, and its distance from the sun is 6.6 degrees. Viewing is possible with great difficulty using a telescope only and in the case of complete atmospheric clarity.

– Riyadh: The moon sets 30 minutes after sunset. Its age is 14 hours and 38 minutes, and its distance from the sun is 6.9 degrees. Viewing is difficultly possible using a telescope only and in the case of complete atmospheric clarity.

– Amman and Jerusalem: The moon sets 36 minutes after sunset. It is 15 hours and 07 minutes old, and its distance from the sun is 7.3 degrees. Viewing is possible using a telescope only if the atmosphere is clear.

– Cairo: The moon sets 35 minutes after sunset. It is 15 hours and 19 minutes old, and its distance from the sun is 8.6 degrees. Viewing is possible using a telescope only if the atmosphere is clear.

– Amsterdam: The moon sets 57 minutes after sunset. It is 16 hours and 23 minutes old, and its distance from the sun is 8.4 degrees. Visibility is possible using a telescope, and it may be possible with the naked eye with great difficulty in the case of complete atmospheric clarity.

To know the meanings of these numbers, it is worth noting that the lowest values ​​for the crescent that could be seen with the naked eye were: the crescent’s duration was 29 minutes, the crescent’s age was 15 hours and 33 minutes, and the angular distance from the sun was 7.6 degrees. It is not sufficient for the crescent’s duration, age, or angular distance to exceed these values ​​to enable it to be seen, as the sighting of the crescent is related to interconnected factors that must be studied together, such as its angular distance from the sun and its distance from the horizon.