The holy month of Ramadan is expected to begin on February 19 this year for the UAE and most Islamic nations, according to astronomical calculations.
While moon-sighting committees will traditionally convene on February 17, experts suggest that a visible crescent will be impossible to detect that evening.
Engineer Muhammad Shawkat Odeh, Director of the International Astronomy Centre (IAC), clarified that scientific criteria indicate the moon will set either before or nearly simultaneously with the sun across the Arab and Islamic world on Tuesday.
In the UAE, the moon is projected to set one minute before sunset, while in Riyadh it will set 42 seconds prior.
Even in regions like Cairo or Algeria, where the moon may linger for a few minutes after sunset, its age and angular separation from the sun will be insufficient for visibility, even with high-powered telescopes.
A further scientific indicator of the moon’s position is an annular solar eclipse occurring on Tuesday afternoon.
Astronomers note that this eclipse marks the "conjunction" of the moon and sun, serving as definitive proof that the moon cannot appear as a crescent until several hours later.
Consequently, for countries following the sighting on Tuesday, the month of Shaban is expected to complete 30 days on Wednesday, making Thursday the first day of fasting.
For nations such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran and Morocco, the moon-sighting search will begin a day later on February 18.
In these regions, the start of Ramadan will depend on local observations that evening, likely falling on either Thursday, February 19 or February 20.
Authorities have urged the public to rely on official announcements and remain cautious of "false sightings" that contradict established astronomical data.
The seasonal shift means that Ramadan 2026 will offer more moderate temperatures and shorter fasting hours—averaging between 12 and 13 hours in most Arab countries—as the month falls during the transition from winter to spring.
Source: Khaleej Times
