The first crescent after the new moon is thin, faint and close to the setting sun. You usually have a window of only 20–40 minutes.
Where and when to look
- Face west, slightly towards where the sun set.
- Start looking about 10–15 minutes after sunset, once the sky begins to darken.
- The crescent will be low, just a few finger-widths above the horizon, with its bright edge facing the sun.
- It sets at the moonset time shown on our Eid and Chandra Darshan pages.
What helps
A clear, unobstructed western horizon (rooftop, open field, beach), clean air after rain, and binoculars to find it first. Never point binoculars at the sun before it has fully set.
Why predictions can be a day off
Visibility depends on the Moon's age, how far it is from the Sun, how long it stays up after sunset, and the weather. Our dates use an astronomical estimate for India. Official Islamic dates are announced by moon-sighting committees.