Astronomical authorities have indicated that the crescent moon marking the beginning of Islamic month Rajab 1447 AH presents significant viewing challenges across most Islamic nations on December 20, 2025. According to detailed analysis from the Astronomy Centre, visibility conditions vary dramatically across different geographical regions, creating substantial disparities in observational possibilities.
The celestial mechanics indicate that while telescopic sightings might be feasible in certain African and South American territories, naked-eye visibility remains restricted to western South America and Pacific regions post-sunset. The Astronomy Centre’s comprehensive social media communications emphasized that despite potential visibility in some Islamic countries, official month commencement determinations rest exclusively with local authorities following careful review of crescent sighting reports.
Technical analysis reveals particularly unfavorable conditions in major Islamic centers including Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Cairo, and Jakarta. These cities experience moonset occurring merely 8-18 minutes after sunset, with lunar age ranging between 11-16 hours—significantly below the established thresholds for reliable naked-eye observation. The minimum requirements for unaided visual confirmation require the crescent to remain above the horizon for at least 29 minutes with a minimum age of 15 hours 33 minutes, though these conditions alone don’t guarantee successful sighting due to complicating factors including angular distance from the sun and altitude during observation.
The astronomical event coincides with the central lunar conjunction occurring at 01:43 GMT (05:43 UAE time), representing the precise moment when Earth, Moon, and Sun achieve near-perfect alignment with the moon positioned centrally—a phase commonly recognized as the New Moon. This scientific precision underscores the complex interplay between astronomical phenomena and religious calendar determinations that characterize Islamic month commencements worldwide.