The International Astronomical Center has issued a warning ahead of the anticipated Ramadan crescent sighting on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, urging observers across the Arabian Peninsula not to attempt viewing the crescent that evening due to safety risks and astronomical impossibility.
In a detailed advisory, experts explained that the moon will be positioned extremely close to the sun at sunset, failing to meet the minimum requirements for crescent visibility. The Center cautioned observatories and amateur astronomers against pointing telescopes or binoculars toward the moon that night, as the proximity to the sun could result in permanent eye injury or damage to sensitive equipment.
Calculations show that the angular separation between the sun and the moon at sunset will be minimal—for example, just about one degree in Riyadh. This places the moon less than half a degree from the sun’s edge, making it both invisible and unsafe to attempt to spot.
Professional observatories routinely avoid attempting to observe objects so close to the sun, and by the time the sun sets, the moon’s disc will already have slipped below the horizon in most locations. The Center also pointed to classical Islamic scholarship and modern research, noting that such low separation values make crescent sighting impossible.
Astronomers further clarified that the object in the sky on February 17 is not the visible hilal but rather the moon in its conjunction phase. A solar eclipse occurring the same day in parts of southern Africa and Antarctica further confirms the moon’s new-moon status.
If no crescent is sighted, most countries will complete 30 days of Sha’ban, setting Thursday, February 19, 2026, as the likely first day of Ramadan. The advisory serves as a reminder for both safety and scientific accuracy during crescent sighting attempts.
