Hyderabad, Jan. 19 -- The Al Khatim Astronomical Observatory in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday, January 19, announced that the Shabaan moon has been sighted over the country's sky, effectively beginning the countdown to Ramzan 2026 next month.

According to the Gulf News, the observatory, which functions under the International Astronomy Centre, shared an image of the moon and stated that improved weather played a key role in the sighting of the crescent, which is hard to observe in daylight conditions due to its faint illumination and proximity to the sun.

The specialised team of the observatory carried out the observation.

They employed advanced astronomical imaging techniques to document the crescent, contributing to ongoin...