The president of the Jeddah Astronomical Society, Eng. Majed Abu Zahra, introduced that this yr, the world will witness a uncommon astronomical alignment: the primary day of Ramazan within the Hijri calendar falls on March 1, 2025, within the Gregorian calendar.
Abu Zahra defined that the Hijri calendar, primarily based on the lunar cycle, marks the beginning of every month with the sighting of the crescent moon.
The Hijri yr, lasting 354 or 355 days, is roughly 10 to 12 days shorter than the solar-based Gregorian calendar, which has 12 months or 366 in a intercalary year akin to 2024.
The distinction causes the Hijri months to shift backward by about 10 to 12 days yearly within the Gregorian calendar, finishing a full seasonal cycle roughly each 33 years.
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He highlighted that the uncommon alignment of Ramazan 1, 1446, with March 1, 2025, outcomes from a exact synchronization between lunar and photo voltaic cycles.
Such alignments, although rare, recur roughly each 33 years, albeit in several months.
“This uncommon phenomenon is a testomony to the mathematical and astronomical precision governing the actions of the moon and the earth,” Abu Zahra said.
He additional mentioned that the occasion serves as a reminder of the cyclical nature of time and the compatibility between astronomical cycles, which type the idea of all calendar methods.