National Crescent Moon Observation Confirms Ramadan to Begin on 19 February
Cecep Nurwendaya, a member of the Ministry of Religious Affairs' Hisab Rukyat (astronomical calculation and observation) Team, has announced that the beginning of Ramadan 1447 H/2026 coincides with Thursday Pahing, 19 February 2026. He stated that the position of the crescent moon (hilal) across Indonesian territory on Tuesday, 17 February 2026 did not meet the MABIMS criteria for determining the start of Ramadan.
"Based on the MABIMS criteria for 29 Sha'ban 1447 H/17 February 2026, the hilal position across the territory of the Republic of Indonesia did not meet the minimum altitude criteria. Therefore, 1 Ramadan 1447 H, according to astronomical calculation, falls on Thursday Pahing, 19 February 2026," he said during a seminar on hilal positioning at Hotel Borobudur, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday, 17 February 2026.
The MABIMS criteria — established by the Ministers of Religious Affairs of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore — represent the hilal visibility standard requiring a minimum altitude of 3 degrees above the horizon and a minimum elongation angle (the angular distance between the moon and the sun) of 6.4 degrees at sunset.
Cecep explained that determining the start of Ramadan in Indonesia employs both rukyat (direct observation) and hisab (astronomical calculation) methods. Hisab serves an informative function, whilst rukyat acts as confirmation of the calculations.
However, on the observation day of 17 February 2026, the hilal altitude across Indonesian territory ranged from minus 2.41 degrees to minus 0.93 degrees, with elongation between 0.94 degrees and 1.89 degrees. "Therefore, it does not meet the minimum criteria of 3 degrees altitude and 6.4 degrees elongation," he said.
Data from the previous day, 16 February 2026, showed the moon's altitude was even lower, at minus 11.93 degrees.
On 17 February 2026, the hilal altitude ranged from minus 2 degrees 24 minutes 43 seconds in Jayapura to minus 0.93 degrees in the Mentawai Islands. Meanwhile, elongation ranged from 0.94 degrees to 1.89 degrees.
Conversely, on 18 February 2026, the moon's altitude is projected to reach 8.76 degrees with an illumination fraction of 0.94 per cent. Under these conditions, Cecep said the moon would already have the potential to be visible as a young crescent tilting northward. "This is because the moon's position is to the north of the sun," he explained.
Nevertheless, Cecep noted that the hisab results are informative in nature and still require confirmation through rukyat, or direct observation of the hilal. The official determination of the start of Ramadan will be made through the government's isbat session.
The isbat session is scheduled for 18:00 Western Indonesian Time, with results to be announced through a press conference at approximately 19:05 Western Indonesian Time.
"Based on the MABIMS criteria for 29 Sha'ban 1447 H/17 February 2026, the hilal position across the territory of the Republic of Indonesia did not meet the minimum altitude criteria. Therefore, 1 Ramadan 1447 H, according to astronomical calculation, falls on Thursday Pahing, 19 February 2026," he said during a seminar on hilal positioning at Hotel Borobudur, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday, 17 February 2026.
The MABIMS criteria — established by the Ministers of Religious Affairs of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore — represent the hilal visibility standard requiring a minimum altitude of 3 degrees above the horizon and a minimum elongation angle (the angular distance between the moon and the sun) of 6.4 degrees at sunset.
Cecep explained that determining the start of Ramadan in Indonesia employs both rukyat (direct observation) and hisab (astronomical calculation) methods. Hisab serves an informative function, whilst rukyat acts as confirmation of the calculations.
However, on the observation day of 17 February 2026, the hilal altitude across Indonesian territory ranged from minus 2.41 degrees to minus 0.93 degrees, with elongation between 0.94 degrees and 1.89 degrees. "Therefore, it does not meet the minimum criteria of 3 degrees altitude and 6.4 degrees elongation," he said.
Data from the previous day, 16 February 2026, showed the moon's altitude was even lower, at minus 11.93 degrees.
On 17 February 2026, the hilal altitude ranged from minus 2 degrees 24 minutes 43 seconds in Jayapura to minus 0.93 degrees in the Mentawai Islands. Meanwhile, elongation ranged from 0.94 degrees to 1.89 degrees.
Conversely, on 18 February 2026, the moon's altitude is projected to reach 8.76 degrees with an illumination fraction of 0.94 per cent. Under these conditions, Cecep said the moon would already have the potential to be visible as a young crescent tilting northward. "This is because the moon's position is to the north of the sun," he explained.
Nevertheless, Cecep noted that the hisab results are informative in nature and still require confirmation through rukyat, or direct observation of the hilal. The official determination of the start of Ramadan will be made through the government's isbat session.
The isbat session is scheduled for 18:00 Western Indonesian Time, with results to be announced through a press conference at approximately 19:05 Western Indonesian Time.