Saudi High Court Announces Moon-Sighting Night as Nations Prepare for رمضان 2026
The Supreme Court in Saudi Arabia has designated Tuesday, February 17, 2026 (ET) as the official evening for moon sighting to determine the start of Ramadan 1447 AH, setting in motion local observation efforts and prompting astronomers across the region to publish technical assessments. Scientific calculations suggest that, for many countries, the first day of fasting will fall on Thursday, February 19, 2026 (ET).
What the court has asked the public to do
The court's announcement calls on anyone who sees the new crescent with the unaided eye or through telescopes and binoculars to report the sighting to the nearest court or designated center. Volunteers with the capability to assist in visual checks are urged to join established committees that will compile and register testimonies. The statement frames participation as both a civic duty and a religious service, encouraging observers to seek spiritual reward through cooperation.
Alongside the call for eyewitness reports, the court reiterated procedural arrangements aimed at ensuring testimony is recorded promptly and transmitted to the relevant judicial panels responsible for declaring the start of the holy month. The scheduled night for observation corresponds to the evening of Tuesday, February 17, 2026 (ET), which follows the calendar determination that fixed Tuesday, January 20, 2026 (ET) as the outset of Sha'ban in the official Umm al-Qura chronology.
Astronomers' calculations point toward a Feb. 19 start in many countries
Regional astronomical groups have released calculations that cast doubt on the visibility of the new crescent on the night specified by the court. The new moon's conjunction is timed at 07: 01 ET on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, meaning the lunar age at sunset that evening will be extremely young in much of the Muslim world. Under widely used visibility criteria, this age and the resulting low altitude of the lunar limb will make naked-eye observation effectively impossible across large swathes of the Middle East and North Africa.
Technical assessments indicate that, at sunset on February 17, the moon will set very shortly after or near the time of sunset in many locations, leaving only minutes during which the crescent could, in theory, be above the horizon. Practical considerations—twilight brightness, atmospheric extinction near the horizon, and the thin arc of the emergent crescent—combine to render visual detection highly improbable. For those reasons, several astronomical advisories conclude that a full thirty-day month of Sha'ban is the likely outcome, which would place the first day of Ramadan on Thursday, February 19, 2026 (ET) for jurisdictions that base their calendars on local visual sighting.
Safety guidance and regional implications
Experts warn of the hazards associated with using optical instruments near sunset on the designated observation evening. Pointing telescopes or high-magnification binoculars in directions close to the sun carries a real risk of eye injury, particularly during the brief interval when the moon lies close to the solar position. Observers without training or proper equipment are advised to prioritize safety and to rely on organized local committees that can provide secure observation conditions.
The divergence between formal judicial sighting procedures and scientific visibility forecasts highlights an enduring tension: juridical processes that depend on reported sightings can still govern the official beginning of the month even when astronomers anticipate non-visibility in many locations. Communities will now await the collection of testimonies, the determinations of local committees, and the customary announcements that finalize the calendar for Ramadan 2026. In the meantime, religious authorities and scientific teams are preparing to coordinate observation efforts and public advisories for the coming nights.
