Thursday's new moon is at midnight. On April 21 or 22, the first sliver of moon will show following the new moon, ending Ramadan for Muslims worldwide and ending a unique form of eclipse.
"The moon is moving across the face of the sun," Time and Date's
The Earth, moon, and sun are aligned in a fairly straight line during the new moon, with the moon in the centre and appearing in front of the sun
The new moon is significant because it rises and sets at identical times to the sun, making it virtually totally missing at night.
On the 29th of each Islamic calendar month, Muslims go out after sunset looking for the moon
Ramadan begins with the sighting of the narrow crescent of the moon at the start of the month.
On April 23, 2020, in Karachi, a member of Pakistan's Ramadan moon-sighting committee searches for the new moon that marks the start of the Muslim fasting month.
"Muslims' religious beliefs, where they've lived, and their families' practices can affect their choices."
Moonshadow over the South Indian Ocean on April 20, 2023.
Skywatchers seeking to get a closer look at the moon should start with our telescope and binocular recommendations.