Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Amina Aouadi
Published on 2024-04-03 15:26:19
Astronomer Loth Bonatiro announced that the first day of Eid al-Fitr 2024 will coincide with Wednesday, April 10, according to his predictions.
In a statement to the website “El Djazair El Jadida”, Bonatiro specified that the moment of the conjunction and the beginning of the lunar month will occur on Wednesday, April 10, which corresponds to the first day of Eid al-Fitr and the first day of the month of Shawwal.
The crescent moon observation will begin on April 8 at 7:19 pm Algerian time, but it will not be visible due to the conjunction of the sun and the moon.
Bonatiro explained, “The observation begins at 7:19 pm on Wednesday evening, Algerian time, but the crescent moon sets 3 minutes later, at exactly 7:22 pm. At that moment, the lunar month begins and the conjunction of the sun and the moon occurs, which means the sun and the moon are at the same level. Therefore, it is impossible to see the crescent moon as it takes a few hours for the moon to move away from the sun.”
He added that April 9 will be the last day of Ramadan, meaning that fasting will last for 30 days this year. Therefore, Wednesday, April 10 will be the first day of Shawwal and Eid al-Fitr.
Bonatiro also predicted that there will be a global consensus on the date of Eid al-Fitr this year, as it will be impossible to see the crescent moon on the night of Monday, April 8. Therefore, Muslims around the world will fast for 30 days during Ramadan this year.
According to the statement from the Association Sirius d’Astronomie, the lunar conjunction will occur on Monday, April 8 at 7:21 pm Algerian time, after sunset. Additionally, the moon will set before the sun, making it impossible to observe the lunar crescent, whether with the naked eye or with instruments.
Based on scientific data, Ramadan should consist of 30 days, and Eid al-Fitr would be celebrated on Wednesday, April 10. It is important to note that a total eclipse will occur on that day, visible only in North America.
The maximum eclipse will occur at 7:17 pm, confirming the absence of the lunar crescent above the horizon in Algeria on the evening of Monday, April 8. For the countries that started Ramadan on Sunday, March 12 (Morocco, Iran, Jordan, Oman, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, India), the 29th day of Ramadan will be Tuesday, April 9.
Although difficult, the observation of the lunar crescent will be possible with the naked eye in the Middle East and Africa. These countries could celebrate Eid al-Fitr on Wednesday, April 10, except for Indonesia, Bangladesh, and India where the observation of the crescent appears more uncertain. If the crescent is not observed in these countries, Eid al-Fitr will be celebrated on Thursday, April 11.
Read the original article(French) on Algerie 360
