Eid ul-Fitr is just around the corner as Ramadan 2025 draws to a close and Shawwal is expected to commence. The exact timings for when Muslims can expect moon sighting announcements to be made has been determined by UK astronomy experts.
Muslims across the UK and globally will be on the lookout for the first crescent of the new moon, which will determine whether Eid falls on Sunday or Monday.
This year, we experienced a 'split Ramadan', commencing either on March 1 or March 2, depending on when the moon was sighted. For instance, in countries like Saudi Arabia where the moon was sighted on February 28, Ramadan began on March 1.
However, in the UK, where the moon wasn't visible until the following day, Ramadan started on March 2. Many UK Muslims will align their celebrations with either Saudi Arabia or Morocco, our closest Islamic neighbour, leading to potential differences in when Eid is celebrated within the UK.
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As the moon must be sighted on the 29th day of an Islamic month, the varying start dates of Ramadan mean this will occur on Saturday, March 29, for some and Sunday, March 30, for others, with Eid commencing the next day.
Despite UK astronomers stating that the moon will not be visible in Britain or the Middle East on Saturday night, even with a telescope, implying that Eid should fall on Monday, March 31, Saudi Arabia has already designated Sunday as the start of Eid, likely adhering to its predetermined national calendar of dates.
For the announcements this weekend, the UK's HM Nautical Almanac Office has put out a list of dates and times for which the moon will be visible. Only people in the northernmost parts of the east coast of the USA and Canada may be able to sight the moon by eye. In the rest of the world, Muslims will have to wait for Sunday.
To look out for the new crescent moon yourself on Sunday, in London, sunset will be 7.31pm and moonset will be 9.28pm. For Monday, sunset will be 7.33pm and moonset will be 11.03pm. A full chart of cities and times from the HM Nautical Almanac Office can be found below.
Saudi Arabia, Morocco and UK crescent moon sighting times
