Crescent New Moon Sightings
January 1999
This page contains reports of actual New Moon sightings from Israel and is updated every month. The Biblical month begins with the Crescent New Moon, or First Visible Sliver, seen from Israel.
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Karaite Korner New Moon Report January 1999 Part 1 On 18 Jan. 1999: The Moon was NOT seen by Devorah Gordon from Jerusalem. There was total cloud coverage and heavy rain. There was also heavy cloudy coverage in the Tel Aviv area and Arad. The New Moon was seen by Musa from Ofakim through BINOCULARS. The Sun set around 17:00 (sunset was NOT observed). The Moon was seen through a crack in the clouds through binoculars at 17:23 and remained visible through binoculars until 17:27 at which time it diasappeared behind the clouds. The moon was NOT seen with the naked eye. Venus was seen and aided in locating the moon. Musa is a highly experienced observer. Given the astronomical data of the moon (Illumination 1.03% Lagtime 54 minutes) it is unclear whether it would have been visible to the naked eye had it not disappeared behind the clouds so early (only about 20 minutes after sunset). This is what can be called a "border-line case" and only future observations under better weather conditions will clarify if the moon is visible under such astronomical conditions.
Nehemia Gordon
Some of the reports in this newsletter were collected by Magdi Shamuel of Ashdod,
Israel. Magdi Shamuel's article on the Calendar can be seen at: To subscribe to Karaite Korner Newsletter, send a blank email to: karaite_korner_news-subscribe@onelist.com To UNsubscribe from Karaite Korner Newsletter, send a blank email to: karaite_korner_news-unsubscribe@onelist.com |
Copyright © 1998-2000 by Nehemia Gordon and Devorah Gordon, All Rights Reserved.Last Updated Feb 26, 2000