Latest news with #InternationalAstronomyCentre
Al Etihad
16-04-2025
- Science
- Al Etihad
Look: Stunning Milky Way spectacle lights up UAE's darkest spot
17 Apr 2025 00:57 KIRSTIN BERNABE (ABU DHABI)In the heart of Abu Dhabi's desert, there's a spot so dark that the night sky comes alive — offering a clear, breathtaking view of the galaxy to those who are willing to wait. Expat Ralph Emerson De Peralta is among them, a patient stargazer and astrophotographer who camps out at one of the darkest places in the UAE to get a magical shot of the cosmos. His latest work captured an unusual celestial view: the Milky Way in two arches. To the uninitiated, the stunning photo seemingly shows two separate Milky Ways — but how can there be two when there's only one Milky Way, the galaxy that houses our solar system?Explaining the 'mystery' and why he considers the photo a bucket-list shot, De Peralta said this is the view of the Milky Way's winter and summer arches, captured in a time-lapse panorama. He drove to Abu Dhabi's Al Quaa Desert — one of the darkest accessible spots in the country — in early April, hoping to catch the dual-arch Milky Way. He had to wait at least six hours. 'This is by far the most challenging time-blended landscape astrophotography image I've ever captured and edited. It's not for the impatient, you need endurance and patience to pull this off,' he told Aletihad . He took the shot from a single tripod location with a six-hour interval between capturing the winter and summer arches. He used a star tracker to snap the winter arch at 9pm and waited until 3am to click the summer side. 'This vision had been in my mind for weeks, and I finally made it a reality,' he said. The Science Behind the ViewEng. Ibrahim Ghonaimat of the International Astronomy Centre confirmed that the photo shows 'two distinct sections of the Milky Way, photographed from the same location, but at different times of night'.'They form two opposing arcs in the sky, which — when captured on the same night — create a panoramic blend of both the feint and bright halves of the Milky Way.'March to early April is 'a sweet spot' in the Earth's orbital position, he said. 'The winter Milky Way (October-April) is still just visible after sunset, while the summer Milky Way (March-September) core rises just before dawn.'For those who wish to replicate the shot, however, it's a bit too late now, the expert said. 'After April 10–12, your chances rapidly decline due to seasonal transition and shorter nights,' he said. Year-round Mission For astrophotographers like De Peralta, any day could be a good day to capture the skies - and whenever he can, he heads to the desert, usually with other photographers who share the same passion for chasing the Milky Way. 'But sometimes, I go alone into the Abu Dhabi desert to take photos of the night sky. There's nothing more inspiring than photographing the Milky Way, it's my way of escaping the hustle and bustle of city life,' said the expat, who works as a civil engineer and has been living in Abu Dhabi for 19 years. 'Standing under the stars, I feel a quiet connection between us and the universe, a reminder that we are small, yet our dreams have no limits,' he said. Among his other stunning photos show star trails in circles, which were captured during the Eid Al Etihad holiday in 2024, and the Perseid meteor shower in August may be personal to hobbyists like De Peralta, but for astronomy, such photos have both artistic and scientific value. 'They sit at the intersection of science and art. It's storytelling with stars. Visual poetry. You're combining two time periods into one image, so it's not a literal representation of the sky,' Ghonaimat said.'To an extent, it can be scientific. Such images demonstrate spatial orientation of the galaxy, help educate about seasonal visibility, and are used in outreach, astronomy presentations, and planetarium projections,' he added. However, for raw scientific data analysis, astronomers rely on precise, timestamped, unblended images, the expert clarified. 'So these panoramas are not scientific data, but they inspire science — and that's just as valuable.'
Saudi Gazette
29-03-2025
- General
- Saudi Gazette
Eid Al-Fitr to be celebrated on March 31 in Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, and Australia
DHAKA — A number of countries have officially announced that Eid Al-Fitr will fall on Monday, March 31, 2025, as the Shawwal crescent moon was not sighted on Saturday evening. Authorities in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and Australia confirmed the date based on astronomical data and local moon sighting efforts. In Bangladesh, the National Moon Sighting Committee stated that the crescent moon was not sighted, making Sunday the 30th day of Ramadan. Indonesia also declared Monday as the first day of Eid after failing to observe the Shawwal crescent. India, where today marks the 28th of Ramadan, expects the moon to be visible on Sunday, thereby celebrating Eid on Monday. Malaysia's International Astronomy Centre (IAC) confirmed that the crescent will be visible to the naked eye on Sunday, placing Eid on March followed suit, with the IAC also confirming that the moon will be visible there on Australian Fatwa Council declared Eid Al-Fitr on March 31 as well, noting that the Shawwal moon will be born after sunset on Saturday in both eastern and western parts of the countries are expected to make official announcements as moon-sighting efforts continue across different regions. — Agencies
Khaleej Times
28-03-2025
- Science
- Khaleej Times
Watch: Satellite debris spotted in Saudi sky; no risk posed, say astronomers
On March 27, the debris of a satellite was seen in the Saudi skies, captured by Khaled Al-Baridi from the Al-Bukayriyah region in Al-Qassim, according to the International Astronomy Centre (IAC). The satellite – 'Starlink 5314', bearing the number 55678 – began to enter the atmosphere above the Kingdom's skies at around 7.27pm local time in Saudi Arabia, the IAC said. Watch a video, shared by IAC, here: The satellite was moving from north to south, and was visible from large parts of the country. The areas where the satellite could be observed included Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah Al-Mukarramah, and Madinah Al-Munawwarah. The satellite was launched on February 17, 2023, and shortly thereafter re-entered the atmosphere and burned up almost completely, the IAC added. Only minor debris is expected to have reached Earth, posing no significant risk.
What's On
28-03-2025
- Science
- What's On
Will Eid Al Fitr 2025 be on March 30 or March 31?
The question on everyone's lips… Eid is around the corner, and the question that everyone is asking is: 'Will Eid Al Fitr 2025 fall on March 30 or 31?'. The holiday dates for Eid Al Fitr 2025 have been announced for both the public and private sector, and while we know when they're going to begin, we don't know when they will end as this all depends on when the Shawwal moon is sighted and when Eid Al Fitr actually falls. So will we have Wednesday off this week or not? The International Astronomy Centre has revealed that the crescent moon of Shawwal will be impossible to sight 'using any observation methods, including the naked eye, telescopes, and astrophotography techniques' on Saturday, March 29, across all regions of the Arab and Islamic world. Gulf News spoke to Emirati astronomer and Chairman of the Emirates Astronomy Society, as well as a member of the Arab Union for Space and Astronomy, Ibrahim Al-Jarwan. He revealed that precise astronomical calculations indicate the impossibility of sighting the Shawwal crescent after sunset on Saturday, March 29, 2025 (corresponding to 29 Ramadan 1446 AH). Based on this, the Emirates Astronomy Society anticipates that Ramadan will be completed in full 30 days, with Sunday. So March 30, 2025, should mark the last day of the holy month. Consequently, Eid Al-Fitr is expected to fall on Monday, March 31, 2025 There is more science behind it here. So will Eid Al Fitr be on March 30 or 31? It's likely that it will be on Monday, March 31. If you're looking for things to do this Eid, there's lots for you to choose from. > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
Daily Tribune
26-03-2025
- Science
- Daily Tribune
Crescent Moon of Shawwal Impossible to Sight on March 29, Confirms International Astronomy Centre
TDT | Manama The majority of countries will attempt to sight the crescent moon of Shawwal (Eid Al-Fitr 1446 AH) on Saturday, March 29, 2025. However, the International Astronomy Centre has confirmed that moon sighting on this day will be impossible in the eastern parts of the world and unfeasible across the rest of the Arab and Islamic world, even with advanced observation tools such as telescopes and astronomical imaging technology. The only possible sightings—albeit with extreme difficulty—will be in central and northern parts of the Americas using telescopes. The crescent may only be visible to the naked eye in areas over the Pacific Ocean west of the United States. Surface calculations of the crescent's position at sunset on March 29 in various cities indicate the following: In Jakarta, the moon will set six minutes before sunset, making its sighting impossible in Indonesia and surrounding areas. In Muscat, the moon will set five minutes after sunset, with an age of one hour and 48 minutes and only 1.5 degrees of separation from the sun. In Mecca, the moon will set eight minutes after sunset, with an age of three hours and 28 minutes and 2.2 degrees of separation from the sun. In Amman and Jerusalem, the moon will set 11 minutes after sunset, with an age of three hours and 55 minutes and 2.3 degrees of separation from the sun. In Cairo, the moon will set 11 minutes after sunset, with an age of four hours and 17 minutes and 2.4 degrees of separation from the sun. In Rabat, the moon will set 19 minutes after sunset, with an age of eight hours and five minutes and 3.8 degrees of separation from the sun. In Amsterdam, the moon will set 24 minutes after sunset, with an age of six hours and 49 minutes and 3.5 degrees of separation from the sun.
