When will Ramadan 2027 begin? UAE astronomers share latest moon sighting forecasts

Dubai: Ramadan 2027 is just 121 days away, with the holy month expected to begin on Monday, February 8, according to astronomical forecasts, while the start of Jumada Al Awwal on October 12 will mark four lunar months until Ramadan.

Ibrahim Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Astronomical Society and member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences, said the astronomical new moon would occur at approximately 7.50pm UAE time on Saturday, after sunset.

According to Al Khaleej newspaper, Al Jarwan said the crescent could potentially be visible to the naked eye on Sunday evening, October 11, making Monday, October 12, the expected first day of Jumada Al Awwal 1448 AH.

The start of the new Islamic month would mean just four lunar months remain before Ramadan, which is expected to begin on February 8, 2027, subject to official moon-sighting confirmation.

Astronomical projections indicate that Ramadan will last either 29 or 30 days, placing Eid Al Fitr on Tuesday, March 9, or Wednesday, March 10.

Al Jarwan explained that one of the defining features of the Islamic lunar calendar is that its progression can be observed without specialised equipment or astronomical calculations.

By watching the moon's changing appearance, people can identify the different stages of the lunar month, from the first crescent to the first quarter and full moon, followed by its gradual waning and eventual disappearance.

These visible phases provide a natural way of tracking the passage of lunar months, which form the basis of the Islamic calendar.

Meanwhile, the Sharjah Space and Astronomy Hub, affiliated with the University of Sharjah, issued a different assessment of the crescent's visibility.

The centre said astronomical calculations indicate that the crescent marking the beginning of Jumada Al Awwal will not be visible to the naked eye or through conventional telescopes after sunset on Sunday, October 11.

However, it said the crescent could potentially be detected before sunset using advanced astrophotography techniques.

According to the centre, countries that rely on astronomical calculations or observations supported by such calculations are expected to begin Jumada Al Awwal on Monday, October 12.

Countries requiring the crescent to be sighted with the naked eye or through an optical telescope after sunset could instead begin the month on Tuesday, October 13.

The hub confirmed that the moon would reach central conjunction, the astronomical new moon, at 7.50pm on Saturday, October 10, while topocentric conjunction, calculated specifically for Sharjah's location, would occur at 8.47pm UAE time.