The International Astronomy Center has confirmed that the end-of-month crescent for Ramadan 1447 AH was captured from Abu Dhabi by the Khatm Astronomical Observatory.
The photograph was taken on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at 1:00pm UAE time, when the moon was 9.2 degrees away from the sun and its age was negative 15 hours and 23 minutes.
The observatory team included Anas Mohammed, Osama Ghannam, and Khalfan Al Naimi, with photography by Mohammed Awda.
آخر مشاهدة لهلال آخر الشهر (رمضان 1447 هـ)
هلال آخر الشهر (لشهر رمضان 1447هـ) كما تم تصويره نهارا قبل قليل من أبوظبي، بواسطة مرصد الختم الفلكي التابع لمركز الفلك الدولي، وقت التصوير الأربعاء 18 مارس 2026م الساعة 01 ظهرا بتوقيت الإمارات. بعد القمر عن الشمس 9.2 درجات. عمر القمر… pic.twitter.com/waRllqfQbF
— مركز الفلك الدولي (@AstronomyCenter) March 18, 2026
However, it should be noted that cloudy skies and strong northwesterly winds up to 40 km/h may make spotting the Shawwal crescent in the UAE challenging. The National Center of Meteorology has forecast partly cloudy to cloudy conditions, a chance of light rain in scattered areas, and dust in some regions.
The UAE’s moon-sighting committee will convene after Maghrib prayers to confirm the end of Ramadan. If the crescent is seen, Eid Al-Fitr will begin Thursday; otherwise, Ramadan completes 30 days and Eid falls on Friday.
Several Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Yemen, Palestine, Lebanon, Sudan, and parts of Iraq, will attempt moon sightings today. Astronomical calculations indicate the crescent will likely be invisible worldwide on Wednesday, with Eid expected Friday or Saturday in many regions, emphasizing the importance of both traditional observation and astronomical predictions.
