Eid Al Fitr 2023 in UAE: Do not believe false images of Shawwal crescent, warns IAC

It urges residents to take astronomical information and crescent images from known and reliable sources only

Published: Thu 20 Apr 2023, 4:55 PM

Updated: Mon 25 Mar 2024, 12:48 PM

By
Anjali Garg

Photo: Twitter

With anticipation for the announcement for Eid Al Fitr at its peak in the country, and as countries around the world that have not spotted the Shawwal crescent have already begun announcing Saturday, April 22, as the first day of the Islamic festival, the International Astronomy Center has warned people not to believe false images of the Shawwal crescent that are circulating the Internet.

"These pictures are incorrect", the IAC tweeted, "as they are old pictures of the crescent moon, and the date shown above the pictures is that it is on April 2, 2022 AD."

The centre clarifies that seeing the crescent today, even using astrophotography, is very difficult. It urges residents to take astronomical information and crescent images from known and reliable sources only.

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