Skywatch: 3 September 2008
Ramadan, the Islamic Holy Month
September 1st, 2008 in the Gregorian calendar coincides with the first day of Ramadan, the 9th month of the Islamic calendar, and the most holy month of the Islamic year.
The Islamic calendar differs from the Gregorian calendar. The Gregorian calendar is based on the position of the Sun against the background stars, thus giving us our common 365 day year with the occassional leap year to clean up rounding errors.
The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar phase cycle, with 12 months of the Islamic year, adding up to 354 days. Each month alternates in being either 29 or 30 days long. The beginning of each Islamic month is based on the first visible [thin crescent] moon of the lunar cycle, which occurs about between one and two days after the New Moon conjunction. The synodic lunar cycle is 29.53 days long.
New Moon occurred on August 30th. So, the first day of Ramadan falls on September 1st. In 2009, the first day of Ramadan will coincide with August 21st.
Planet/Moon viewing hints (based on Friday, 9/5/08):
| PLANET |
EVENT |
TIME |
CONSTELLATION |
MAGNITUDE |
COMMENTS |
| Mercury |
SET |
8:45 pm |
Virgo |
+0
|
Mercury, Venus & Mars form a nearly equilateral triangle 3° on each side. |
| Venus |
SET |
8:50 pm |
Virgo |
-4
|
|
| Mars |
SET |
8:55 pm |
Virgo |
+1.7
|
|
| Jupiter |
TRANSIT |
9:15 pm |
Sagittarius |
-2.5
|
visible throughout the night |
| Saturn |
|
|
|
|
not visible |
| 2008 MOON PHASES (MST/MDT) |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| New Moon |
8 |
6 |
7 |
5 |
5 |
3 |
2 |
1/30 |
29 |
28 |
27 |
27 |
| 1st Quarter |
15 |
13 |
14 |
12 |
11 |
10 |
9 |
8 |
7 |
7 |
5 |
5 |
| Full Moon |
22 |
20 |
21 |
20 |
19 |
18 |
18 |
16 |
15 |
14 |
12 |
12 |
| 3rd Quater |
29 |
28 |
29 |
28 |
27 |
26 |
25 |
23 |
21 |
21 |
19 |
19 |
- Feb 20 -- Lunar eclipse visible from western USA.
- 1/29; 7/9; 9/21; 11/12 -- These events may appear on calendars as occurring on the following date due to the time of the event occurring near midnight. Therefore, time zone changes will result in date changes.
- Aug 1 -- Total solar eclipse visible from Siberia, Mongolia, China. NASA map here.
- Aug 16 -- Partial lunar eclipse not visible from the US.
- Aug 1 & 30 -- Two New Moon events in the same month.
Data about bright passes of the International Space Station can be found on our Night Sky Calendar.
Click the "Night Sky Calendar" link above to see calendar information on the Moon, seasons, and other interesting events.
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