Expected New Moons and Appointed Times for 2004

     Listed below are the computations for 2004/2005 for the expected dates of New Moon visibility from Jerusalem, as well as the moladim (i.e., average timing of dark moons) of the Calculated Rabbinical Calendar (CRC). The difference between the dates for the two calendars is also noted.

     The projected dates for the Eternal's Appointed Times for 2004 are given in the tables below the New Moon listings. PLEASE NOTE that there is a borderline potential for visibility of the 7th New Moon (on Wednesday September 15). If not seen that evening, the New Moon will be seen Thursday, September 16. This, of course, will affect the setting of the latter Appointed Times (Yom Teruah/"Trumpets," Yom Kippur/"Atonement," "Sukkot/ "Tabernacles," and Shemini Atzeret/"Eighth Day").

UPDATE: The New Moon report is in:

"Wednesday night (15th September 2004) in Israel was one such case of an extremely difficult New Moon. In the event, seven people saw the Moon from three locations." (Dr. Roy Hoffman, Israeli New Moon Society)

"Roy Hoffman, sighted the new moon on Wednesday September 15, 2004 from Modiin, Israel. More details were recieved from Magdi Shamuel who saw the new moon from Ashdod on Wednesday September 15. Magdi reports that the moon remained visible for about 4 minutes to the naked eye. Magdi also confirmed the observation with binoculars and the moon remained visible with binoculars for 13 minutes." (Nehemia Gordon, Karaite Korner)

     The "Visible Crescents" column dates are the dates on which the New Moon is expected to be seen--beginning at sunset of the listed day. All dates listed are to be reckoned from sunset of listed day and date through the next day at sunset in the following New Moon table.

2004/2005 New Moons

* A New Moon report was received from the Karaites which claimed observation of the moon on Saturday, November 13. However, Dr. Roy Hoffman reported:

"In my opinion, no reliable report of the New Moon being seen from Israel was received last night so please look again tonight. Here are the details so that you can judge for yourself. The Moon was not seen Kfar Eldad, Jerusalem, Ashdod, Ramle, Ofakim and Arad. In Ashdod, Ramle and Arad the observers added that the sky was hazy. However, two observers from Beitar reported seeing the Moon. Hillel Skolnik, an experienced observer, saw the Moon twice within about 5 seconds in the expected position and orientation (2 to 7 o'clock - expected 1:40 to 6:11) at 16:59 but, on questioning was not sure that it was the Moon that he saw. David Koningsberg was a first time observer. He saw the Moon in approximately the correct direction only once for a few seconds at 17:01 but with the wrong orientation (3 to 9 o'clock). He was nearly certain he saw it. Observers of the JAS in Amman, Jordan reported that the Moon was a very difficult object in a 10" telescope (2 out of 6 observers could see it with the telescope). As a result I very much doubt the naked-eye observation from Beitar."

     Roy's findings concur with Bruce Armstrong's Central Highlands' Calendar Calculator which show the moon could not have been visible on Saturday, November 13. We at Truth On The Web Ministries have therefore not accepted the Karaite report for this month. A faithful report was received of this 9th New Moon being observed the evening of Sunday, November 14.

All listed dates should be confirmed by report of actual new moon visibilty.

* molad - The CRC, contrary to what some may think, is not based on first visibilty of the moon after conjunction--it is based on the "molad." The Hebrew word means "birth," but the term in rabbinical calculated calendar usage refers to the average conjunction of the earth, moon, and sun (average length being 29.53059 days). The molad may occur on the actual astronomical new moon, but the two terms are not interchangable.  The molad may also occur upon the first day of crescent visibility, or yet within a few days on either side of it (as evidenced in the chart above).

Email: Brian Hoeck

©2004 Truth On The Web Ministries: All the articles originated by Kenneth Hoeck and/or Brian Hoeck may be freely distributed or mirrored as long as presented in their entirety (including this statement), attributed to Truth on The Web, and proper author credit given.

See also Projected Appointed Times for 2001-2010

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