UAE's Astronomy Centre Predicts Eid Al Fitr Date The International Astronomy Centre (IAC) in the UAE has determined that the crescent moon will not be visible on March 18, making it impossible to mark the start of Eid Al Fitr on that date. According to the centre, the moon will set before sunrise, and the conjunction will occur after sunset, rendering the sighting unfeasible. This means the holy month of Ramadan will last 30 days, and Eid Al Fitr is expected to begin on March 20 in the UAE and other regions. The IAC explained that the crescent’s visibility depends on specific astronomical conditions. For the UAE, the crescent will be visible on March 19, but the exact timing remains under observation. In other parts of the world, the visibility varies: the crescent is not possible to spot from the eastern hemisphere, while western Asia, central and northern Africa, and parts of North America may see it with varying degrees of difficulty. The centre emphasized that these factors must be analyzed together, as no single metric alone guarantees a sighting. The IAC noted that the crescent’s age will be 15 hours and 33 minutes, with an angular distance of 7.6 degrees from the sun. However, these values alone are not sufficient for confirmation, as they are interconnected. The centre also highlighted that the crescent will persist for 29 minutes above the horizon, a critical factor in determining visibility. In the UAE, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has already announced Eid Al Fitr holidays for both the private and public sectors. Private-sector employees will have a holiday from March 19 to March 21, with an extension to March 22 if Ramadan lasts 30 days. Federal government workers will enjoy a holiday from March 19 to March 22, with work resuming on March 23.#uae #ramadan #eid_al_fitr #international_astronomy_centre #ministry_of_human_resources_and_emiratisation
