Millions of Muslims Await the Sighting of the Ramadan Crescent, Coinciding with a Rare Astronomical Phenomenon
Millions of Muslims around the world eagerly await the sighting of the Ramadan crescent every year, marking the beginning of the sacred month of fasting and spirituality. This year, this sighting coincides with an exceptional astronomical phenomenon: on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, an annular solar eclipse will be observable, on the same day as the crescent sighting, in a rare spectacle combining science and religion.
A Coincidence with No Impact on the Crescent Sighting
Dr. Mohamed Gharib, a professor at the National Institute of Astronomical and Geophysical Research, explains that this eclipse is an astronomical indication of the Sun-Moon conjunction and the beginning of the lunar month. "The Islamic calendar is calculated from crescent to crescent and not based on eclipses or astronomical conjunctions," he clarifies. Therefore, the annular eclipse does not hinder the sighting of the Ramadan crescent, as the two phenomena are completely independent. The visibility of the crescent depends on other factors: the duration after sunset, its height on the horizon, and the clarity of the sky. Dr. Gharib adds that the last annular eclipse was not visible in the Arab world. Its complete visibility is limited to the Antarctic continent, with partial observation only in certain regions of Argentina and Chile, without any optical effect on Arab countries.
The Ring of Light of the Annular Eclipse
An annular eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, but is at a relatively far distance, making its apparent diameter smaller than that of the Sun. As a result, the Sun appears as a ring of light surrounding the black disk of the Moon, hence the name "annular eclipse". This type of eclipse is short-lived, usually lasting only a few minutes, and is the subject of precise astronomical calculations, without disrupting the cycle of lunar months or the sighting of the Ramadan crescent.
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