The International Astronomy Centre (IAC) and Dubai Astronomy Group have cautioned the public against attempting moon-sighting observations using optical instruments on February 17, warning that such practices pose significant risk of vision loss if proper safety protocols are not strictly followed.
The primary concern stems from the moon’s proximity to the sun on that date. On Tuesday, February 17, when moon-sighting committees worldwide are expected to observe the crescent, the angular separation between the two celestial bodies will measure just one degree in Riyadh at sunset. This means the crescent itself—if visible—would be positioned approximately half a degree from the sun’s disk.
“Even though the eclipse will occur earlier in the day, by sunset, when people normally go out to look for the crescent, the moon will still be extremely close to the sun,” explained Khadijah Al Hariri, Operations Manager at Dubai Astronomy Group.
The IAC emphasised that directing any telescope toward the crescent’s position during sunset would place the sun either within the instrument’s field of view or extremely close to it, thereby exposing both equipment and the observer’s eyes to damage. “Directly viewing the Sun through telescopes, binoculars, or optical instruments without certified solar filters may cause temporary or permanent eye damage, including blindness,” the centre stated.
Beyond safety concerns, astronomical experts have identified a second critical issue: the observation is simply not viable from a scientific standpoint. Al Hariri noted that attempting moon-sighting through optical instruments on February 17 is also “astronomically impractical.”
The IAC reinforced this assessment, explaining that even if an observer waits for the sun’s disk to fully set before beginning observations, by that time the moon’s lower edge will have naturally set, leaving no crescent to search for.
This dual rationale—danger combined with futility—prompted Oman to become the first GCC nation to officially announce Ramadan’s start date in advance. Oman cited both the impracticality and its principle of “not accepting reports that contradict observable reality or scientific certainty” as reasons for establishing the date prior to moon-sighting. Three additional countries have since announced February 19 as their designated first day of Ramadan, demonstrating a growing reliance on astronomical calculations over traditional observation methods.
The IAC stressed that their advisory is specifically cautioning the public against “unsafe observation practices” such as using telescopes, binoculars, or optical instruments without certified solar filters. The centre noted that professional astronomical observatories operate according to internationally recognised safety protocols and employ specialised equipment when conducting observations under such challenging conditions.
The IAC also clarified that its role is limited to raising scientific awareness. The centre is not the competent authority responsible for issuing official decisions on crescent-sighting or declaring the beginning of lunar months. That responsibility remains with designated government authorities across the UAE and other nations in the region.
With Ramadan 2026 set to last 29 days with fasting hours reaching a maximum of 13 hours and 25 minutes, the astronomical conditions surrounding its commencement have drawn unprecedented scientific scrutiny and public interest across the region.
