Crescent Moon Sighting Instructions

The "new moon" is the first visible crescent seen in the western sky after sunset, making "New Moon day" the following day. The crescent moon will be visible between 20 to 45 minutes after sunset. The glow of the sun must be sufficiently dissipated to allow stars to be seen. The "horns" of the crescent will point to the path the sun followed in its descent. All months will have either 29 or 30 days. If weather conditions hide the visibility of the new moon, the conjunction time can be checked and the estimated time of 18 to 24 hours added to know about when the first visibility would occur. When conjunction occurs on the previous month’s last preparation day (6^th day), there will be a 29 day month and the day following the last Sabbath will be New Moon day. If conjunction occurs on the last Sabbath of the month, there will be a translation day making it a 30 day month and the New Moon day will follow translation day.

If the crescent is observed for just a minute or less before full dark and then disappears, it is considered too young to be a new moon. When this occasionally occurs, sighting is delayed until the following night.

The writings left on clay tablets in Babylon and stele all reveal that all the earliest civilizations set the beginning of their months to the first visible crescent. The word "month" comes from the Hebrew word, chodesh, or moon. Chodesh itself means to be renewed. The addition of the word "new" means the "first visibly seen" as the moon is remade or re-lightened. In order for the moon to be renewed or seen, there must actually be something there to be seen.

On the walls of the Hebrew temple were marked where the moon would appear, as well as what it would look like. The Bible tells of the function of the moon in Genesis 1:14 and Psalms 104:19