<http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s1352797.htm> ------------------------------- Muslim satellite monitors Moon ------------------------------- Reuters, Monday, 25 April 2005 The Islamic calendar is determined by the appearance of the crescent Moon, but exactly when this occurs has been the subject of controversy (Image: iStockphoto) Muslim countries are set to launch the first Islamic satellite, which will be used for Moon sightings to help decide accurate dates for religious holidays and festivals, the world's largest Muslim body says. The 57-nation Organisation of the Islamic Conference says it plans to launch a 30 million Saudi Riyals (A$10.2 million) satellite within two years to take pictures of the Moon and establish lunar calendar dates. The Islamic calendar is a twelve-month lunar calendar and the beginning of any month is marked by the first appearance of the crescent Moon, or Hilal. Although the rise of the crescent Moon can be determined scientifically, many Muslims like to watch the horizon and sight the moon visually. This is why Muslims can't know ahead of time the exact date for their religious holidays and festivals. For example, Muslims who rely on a visual sighting of the Moon may begin Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, later than other Muslims if the sky is cloudy. The OIC says religious scholars will have access to accurate pictures of the shape of the Moon instead of having to rely on naked-eye sightings which have in the past created discrepancies between Muslim countries or mistakes. "Hopefully the satellite will stop the problems associated with lunar sightings," spokesman Ahmed Imigene says. Clearing up confusion about religious holidays ----------------------------------------------- A Moon sighting committee in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, frustrated millions of worshippers when it said it got the date wrong by a day for the peak of this year's Hajj pilgrimage in January. The OIC will fund the project which was conceived by Cairo University's Space Science Centre. "The satellite will have a fixed camera on board that will take highly detailed pictures of the Moon and beam them back to earth," says Professor Mervat Awad, the centre's director. The satellite, which is being built by an Italian firm, will also be used to research asteroids, Awad says. Dr Ali Juma, chief of the 15-member panel from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain which decided on the contract for the satellite, says it will solve many problems related to crescent sighting. There are currently some six Saudi Moon-sighting committees in Saudi Arabia and it takes a lot of time, effort and discussion to arrive at a common conclusion about the moon. "The Islamic satellite, expected to be used in crescent sighting and studying environment pollution and movement of the clouds, will be put in orbit by the end of this year," Juma was recently quoted as saying in the Middle Eastern English Language Daily the Arab News. It isn't immediately clear how many countries will use the technology to determine religious dates. There is already some criticism from religious officials in Saudi Arabia, which uses the lunar calendar. "The shape of the Moon has to be seen from the ground," says Osama al-Bar, dean of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Haj Research in Saudi Arabia. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Give the gift of life to a sick child. Support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's 'Thanks & Giving.' http://us.click.yahoo.com/lGEjbB/6WnJAA/E2hLAA/BRUplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> *************************************************************************** Berdikusi dg Santun & Elegan, dg Semangat Persahabatan. Menuju Indonesia yg Lebih Baik, in Commonality & Shared Destiny. www.ppi-india.org *************************************************************************** __________________________________________________________________________ Mohon Perhatian: 1. Harap tdk. memposting/reply yg menyinggung SARA (kecuali sbg otokritik) 2. Pesan yg akan direply harap dihapus, kecuali yg akan dikomentari. 3. Lihat arsip sebelumnya, www.ppi-india.da.ru; 4. Satu email perhari: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 5. No-email/web only: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 6. kembali menerima email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
