Senegal will on May 5 observe the lunar crescent whose appearance marks the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, Senegalese Association for the Promotion of Astronomy (ASPA) said on Tuesday.
“Sunday, May 05: the Moon will set at 8:07 p. m., 40 minutes after the Sun sets at 7:27 p. m. Under clear and clear skies, it will be observable from 7:45 pm at an altitude of 6° above the horizon with 1 percent of the surface illuminated, elongation of 11.3°. Although relatively small, the crescent can be observed under these conditions. The moon will then be 21h old since the conjunction,” ASPA said in a statement.
While weather conditions make it difficult to observe the crescent in some localities in Senegal, the Senegalese Association for the Promotion of Astronomy stressed that “the observability criteria are met today and therefore, not to neglect an observation from areas with clearer skies.”
In addition, these scientists noted that “the moon on Monday, May 6 will be almost 48 hours old and will remain in the sky too long to be considered a first crescent.”
Finally, ASPA pointed out that when observing the lunar crescent, “you should always look for the first crescent to the West, a little to the left above where the Sun sets.”
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