Rabi ul Awwal crescent photographed in Abu Dhabi. Photo: @AstronomyCenter/X
Abu Dhabi: The crescent of Rabi ul Awwal 1448 AH was photographed in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, August 13, by the Khatm Astronomical Observatory of the International Astronomical Centre (IAC).
In a post on X, the IAC said the image was captured at 1:30 pm UAE time. The moon was 8.7 degrees from the sun and 15 hours and 21 minutes old at the time.
The photograph was taken by Mohammad Odeh, with Khalfan Al Nuaimi, Osama Ghanem and Anas Mohammed also involved in the observation.
The observation comes ahead of the expected start of Rabi ul Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar. Its official beginning is determined according to the crescent-sighting process followed by the relevant authorities.
Rabi ul Awwal holds particular significance for Muslims as it includes the occasion traditionally observed as the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on 12 Rabi ul Awwal.
The UAE has announced Friday, August 28, as a public holiday for government and private-sector employees to mark Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday.
The Hijri calendar follows the lunar cycle, with each month beginning with the sighting of the new crescent.
This post was last modified on August 13, 2026 6:13 pm