An astronomical feat from Abu Dhabi is challenging global calculations, as the Al Khatim Astronomical Observatory in the United Arab Emirates has documented a rare event that overturned scientific expectations.
The observatory successfully recorded the sighting of the new crescent moon marking the end of Sha’ban 1447 in broad daylight, according to an official announcement from the International Astronomy Center. This precise achievement, timed for the morning of February 16, 2026, upends traditional concepts of lunar observation, as spotting the crescent moon during daylight hours is considered an extremely rare occurrence.
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The scientific documentation comes at a critical time, as astronomical forecasts indicated that sighting the Sha’ban crescent moon on Monday, January 19, 2026, would be possible only with a telescope in most regions, including Abu Dhabi. At that time, the moon was expected to be 17 hours and 56 minutes old.
This makes the success of the daylight observation, with such accuracy, all the more remarkable. The rigorous scientific standards followed by the Islamic Crescent Observation Project had previously determined that the historical minimum for sighting a crescent moon with the naked eye is only 15.33 hours.
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This exceptional achievement, by any measure, positions the UAE at the forefront of countries leading the way in Islamic astronomy, and enhances Abu Dhabi’s status as a global astronomical center. The development could contribute to resolving the annual debate surrounding the sighting of the crescent moon with unprecedented scientific accuracy. The International Astronomy Center published an image of the crescent moon, captured during the daytime in the skies above Abu Dhabi by the Al Khatim Astronomical Observatory. The Al Khatim Astronomical Observatory successfully documented the sighting of the last crescent of Sha’ban 1447 in daylight, a first-of-its-kind astronomical accomplishment. The sighting was captured on February 16, 2026, at 8:15 AM local time, as noted on the International Astronomy Center’s Facebook page.
