On the evening of Tuesday, March 21st, the Muslim American Community center of Lexington (MACCLM) hosted a Moon sighting event to commemorate the beginning of the Holy month of Ramadan for Muslims. For thousands of years, humans have used the Moon to help mark time and seasons. The Moon’s regular cycle allows people to determine the number of months in a year, keep track of the changing seasons or mark the start of religious festivals.
In the Islamic calendar, a month begins with the sighting of the new crescent Moon. That makes astronomy a key part of Islamic events and festivals, including Ramadan and Eid. Modern science and astronomy has definitely changed the way the start of Ramadan is observed. Telescopes are used to aid moon-sighting and make more accurate predictions. For this purpose, “The Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston” (AtMoB) and their personnel were invited to guide the moon sighting.
The event, which was planned and executed with the help of Afia Mirza, took place in the Harrington Elementary school field. It was a great success and there were about 100 people participating including men, women and kids of all ages.
Wishing you all a Happy Ramadan!