Astronomer Al Asfoor: Shawwal Crescent To Be Born On Saturday, Stay For Six Minutes After Sunset in Bahrain sky

TDT | Manama

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As the holy month of Ramadan nears its end, many are eager to determine the sighting conditions for the Shawwal crescent, which will mark the beginning of Eid Al-Fitr. Astronomer Mohammed Redha Al Asfoor stated that, based on astronomical calculations, the Shawwal moon for the year 1446 AH will be born on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at exactly 1:57 PM Bahrain time. This event will coincide with a partial solar eclipse visible in northern Asia, western Europe, northwest Africa, Greenland, eastern North America, and the Atlantic Ocean. However, the eclipse will not be visible in the Gulf region.

Al Asfoor further explained that on Saturday evening, the sun will set in Bahrain at 5:53 PM, while the moon will set at 5:59 PM. This means the crescent will remain in the sky for only six minutes after sunset, with an illumination of just 0.05% and an elongation angle of 1.7 degrees. Given these conditions, he predicted that the moon would not be visible in Bahrain on the night of its birth.

However, on the following day, Sunday, March 30, 2025, the crescent is expected to remain in the sky for one hour and fifteen minutes after sunset, with an illumination of 2.1%. Under favorable weather conditions, the crescent should be clearly visible, confirming the arrival of Eid Al-Fitr.