Astronomical authorities in the United Arab Emirates have issued an urgent safety advisory regarding potentially hazardous moon observation attempts scheduled for February 17, 2026. The International Astronomy Centre based in Abu Dhabi has emphasized that attempting to view the crescent moon through optical instruments on this date poses severe risks of permanent eye damage, including potential blindness.
The danger stems from an unusual celestial alignment occurring that Tuesday. A solar eclipse earlier in the day will result in the moon maintaining extreme proximity to the sun by sunset—the traditional time for crescent sighting committees worldwide to attempt observations. In Riyadh, the angular separation between the moon and sun will measure merely one degree at sunset.
Khadijah Al Hariri, Operations Manager at Dubai Astronomy Group, explained the critical safety concerns: “Even though the eclipse occurs earlier, by sunset when people typically search for the crescent, the moon remains dangerously close to the sun. Directing telescopes toward the crescent’s position means the sun will either be within the instrument’s field of view or immediately adjacent to it.”
The scientific community notes that angular separation measurements occur between the centers of the sun and moon disks, meaning the actual crescent distance from the sun’s disk would be approximately half a degree. This proximity creates unacceptable risks for both observational equipment and human vision without professional-grade solar filters and safety protocols.
Beyond the safety implications, astronomers have declared public observation attempts astronomically impractical. The IAC stated that even if observers wait for the sun’s disk to fully set before beginning observations, the moon’s lower edge will have naturally set by that time, leaving no crescent visible.
The advisory specifically warns against using telescopes, binoculars, or any optical instruments without certified solar filters. Professional observatories follow internationally recognized safety standards using specialized equipment that amateur observers typically lack.
Several Gulf countries, including Oman, have already announced official Ramadan start dates in advance, citing both practical observation challenges and their commitment to scientific certainty rather than potentially contradictory visual reports. The IAC clarified that while they provide scientific awareness, they are not the authority responsible for official crescent sighting declarations or lunar month determinations.
