Five nights
into Dhul Hijjah
The Islamic calendar, observed by our team of dedicated moon sighters across the UK.
Dhul Hijjah
ذو الحجة
Fri, 22 May 2026
Thirty nights of Dhul Hijjah
Where the horizon opens
Ranked by line-of-sight probability to the crescent — the modelled chance that cloud in the moon's direction is thin enough to see through at peak observing time.A clear sky overhead doesn't help if cloud sits on the horizon where the crescent will be.
The crescent's path through Arisaig Beach's sky — scrub the timeline to see where the clouds are.
Sunday, 17 May 2026
74% chance the moon's line of sight is unobstructed at peak observing time.
NW (308°) at 5.5°
74%
22:00 BST
Low 30%
Cloud puffs are sized by cover percentage and stacked by layer altitude (low / mid / high). Their positions trace the moon-direction line of sight: a puff near the moon means it's about to be obscured at that moment. A clear sky overhead doesn't mean a clear sightline — the crescent sits low on the WNW horizon, so cloud bands down there are what matter most.
Sky clear overhead but 48% chance the moon's low sightline is blocked by cloud on the WNW horizon.
74% chance the moon's line of sight is unobstructed at peak observing time.
0/8 oktas
7 km/h
40 km
22:36 BST
70% chance the moon's line of sight is unobstructed at peak observing time.
2/8 oktas
11 km/h
43 km
22:36 BST
74% chance the moon's line of sight is unobstructed at peak observing time.
0/8 oktas
13 km/h
45 km
22:44 BST
Sky clear overhead but 48% chance the moon's low sightline is blocked by cloud on the WNW horizon.
0/8 oktas
6 km/h
40 km
22:44 BST
67% sightline-clear probability — even odds at peak observing time.
5/8 oktas
11 km/h
47 km
22:39 BST
How a month begins
An in-depth explainer the laws and rules regarding moon sighting, testimonies and announcements
Past announcements
صُومُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ وَأَفْطِرُوا لِرُؤْيَتِهِ، فَإِنْ غُمَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ ثَلَاثِينَ
Fast when you see it (the crescent), and break your fast when you see it; and if it is overcast for you, complete the count of thirty days.