Again? Why? Don’t we have science to tell us when a month’s going to start? Or is our heritage in astronomy also a lie?
An Arab man's attempt at bridging the cultural gap and trying to make a difference. Failing a lot. Succeeding once in a while.
Again? Why? Don’t we have science to tell us when a month’s going to start? Or is our heritage in astronomy also a lie?
Comments
Moon sightings
Mahmood,
The problem with lunar calendars is the fact that the moon is not a good timekeeper. Every year, the distance between the earth and moon increases by a very small amount because of tidal breaking. In approximately a hundred million years or so, the moon will be locked in a mutually synchronous orbit with Earth, that is, the moon will only be visible from one face of the Earth, just as today we only see one face of the moon.
It’d be pretty hard to start Ramadan when the moon never rises and sets. ‘Course at that point, it won’t matter, because I heartily doubt that the dominant post-nuclear-war cockroach race will be Muslim.
The Sidereal calendar is far more useful, so long as you take into account precession of the poles. Failing that, Solar is the way to go.
Cheers,
Ethan