Safar, the second month in the Hijri Calendar, is expected to start on Sunday, August 28, according to astronomical calculations.
“On August 27, the moon can be seen by high powered telescope in Americas, but with difficulty in Hawaii and Polynesian Islands,” Moonsighting.com reported.
It added, “on August 28, it can easily be seen from Far East to Americas, except Europe which may see with difficulty. On August 29, it is visible in the whole world.”
Like all the other Hijri lunar months, the month of Safar spans over 29 or 30 days; and for that reason, we conduct the lunar astronomical observations and calculate the lunar months to know their exact dates every year.
Normally, a Hijri day starts at sunset. Thus, observing the crescent of a new Hijri month occurs during the sunset.
The Hijri Calendar is a lunar dating system, and its months begin when the lunar phase called First Crescent of a new moon is sighted.
The year of the Hijri lunar calendar is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year. Thus, Safar and all other lunar months migrate backward throughout the seasons, during a cycle of about 33 solar years.