Listed below are the computations for 2017 for
the expected dates of New Moon visibility from Israel. The
possible projected dates for the Appointed Times for 2017 are
given in a second table below the New Moons table.
PLEASE NOTE:
The "Date of Visibility" 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.
|
New Moon |
Date of Visibility |
Sunset |
Moon Set |
Lag Time |
% of Illum. |
Moon Alt. |
Sun Alt. |
VN |
Sighted? |
|
12th |
Sunday, January 29, 2017 | 5:11 |
6:43 |
92 min. |
2.89 % |
17.0 |
-19.0 |
210.7 |
Yes |
|
13th |
Monday, February 27, 2017 | 5:35 |
6:33 |
58 min. |
1.32 % |
10.7 |
-12.2 |
125.8 |
Yes |
| 1st | Wednesday, March 29, 2017 | 5:57 |
7:30 |
133 min. |
3.46 % |
18.1 |
-19.4 |
225.4 |
Yes |
|
2nd |
Thursday, April 27, 2017 | 6:16 |
7:25 |
69 min. |
2.26 % |
12.8 |
-13.5 |
157.7 |
Yes |
|
3rd |
Saturday, May 27, 2017* | 6:37 |
8:25 |
108 min. |
5.49 % |
20.3 |
-18.8 |
271.6 |
Yes
|
|
4th |
Sunday, June 25, 2017 |
6:48 |
8:06 |
78 min. |
3.86 % |
14.3 |
-13.5 |
193.1 |
Yes
|
|
5th |
Monday, July 24, 2017 | 6:41 |
7:33 |
52 min. |
2.34 %. |
9.62 |
-9.79 |
127.7 |
Clouds |
|
6th |
Wednesday, August 23, 2017 | 6:14 |
7:29 |
75 min. |
4.53 % |
14.7 |
-15.1 |
207.9 |
Yes
|
|
7th |
Thursday, September 21, 2017 |
5:37 |
6:36 |
46 min. |
2.39 % |
11.4 |
-12.6 |
146.5 |
Yes
|
|
8th |
Saturday, October 21, 2017* | 5:00 |
6:20 |
80 min. |
3.50 % |
14.8 |
-17.0 |
200.4 |
Yes |
|
9th |
Sunday, November 19, 2017 |
4:38 |
5:36 |
58 min. |
1.33 % |
10.2 |
-11.7 |
122.5 |
Clouds
|
|
10th |
Tuesday, December 19, 2017 | 4:38 |
5:47 |
69 min. |
1.65 % |
11.7 |
-13.5 |
144.4 |
Clouds
|
|
11th |
Thursday, January 18, 2018 | 5:00 |
6:18 |
78 min. |
2.12 % |
13.7 |
-15.7 |
170.0 |
Yes
|
|
12th |
Monday, February 17, 2018 | 5:27 |
6:58 |
91 min |
3.15 % |
17.3 |
-19.3 |
216.1 |
Yes
|
|
1st |
Sunday, March 18, 2018 | 5:49 |
6:46 |
57 min. |
1.52 % |
10.8 |
-12.1 |
128.2 |
Yes
|
* Saturday, May 27, 2017 - The moon may possibly be visible one evening earlier, but most likely not. Here are the stats for that date: On Friday evening (May 26), we expect a 6:36 pm sunset & 7:19 pm moon set (therefore, a lag time of 43 minutes), a 1.36% of illumination, with a lunar altitude at sunset of 7.51 degrees and a solar altitude of -7.95 at moonset. VN = 94.56 UPDATE - Nadav Gorman reported sighting the moon from Hashmonaaim at 8:05 PM on Friday, May 26, which was the same time that Gadi Eidelheit reported possibly seeing it from Givat Shmuel - though he was not 100% certain it was in fact the New Moon.
* Saturday, October 21, 2017 - The
moon may possibly be visible one evening earlier, but most
likely not. Here are the stats for that date: On Friday
evening (October 20), we expect a 5:01 pm sunset & 5:44 pm
moon set (therefore, a lag time of 43 minutes), a 0.87% of
illumination, with a lunar altitude at sunset of 7.83 degrees and
a solar altitude of -9.06 at moonset. VN = 91.08
|
Event |
begins sunset of |
ends sunset of |
|
Passover (Lord's Supper) Aviv 14 |
Tuesday, April 11 |
Wednesday, April 12 |
|
Feast of Unleavens (1st day) |
Wednesday, April 12 |
Thursday, April 13 |
| Elevation Sheaf Day (aka "wave sheaf") |
Saturday, April 15 |
Sunday, April 16 |
| Feast of Unleavens (7th day) |
Tuesday, April 18 |
Wednesday, April 19 |
| Pentecost |
Saturday, June 3 |
Sunday, June 4 |
| Day of Shouting (aka "Trumpets") |
Thursday, September 21 |
Friday, September 22 |
| Day of Atonement |
Saturday, September 30 |
Sunday, October 1 |
| Feast of Tabernacles (1st day) |
Thursday, October 5 |
Friday, October 6 |
| 8th Day Assembly |
Friday, October 12 |
Saturday, October 13 |
Understanding the Calculations
Visibility Number (VN) is the difference between the sun and moon setting times plus 27 times the illuminated percent of the moon plus 5.5 times the altitude of the moon at sunset minus 5 times the altitude of the sun at moonset, all divided by 1.7.
If the VN is:
* less
than 88 then the New Moon will not be seen
* between 88 and 100, it will probably not
be seen
* between 100 and 112, it will probably be seen
* anything greater than 112, it will be seen in reasonable
conditions.
EXAMPLE: The sun will set in Jerusalem at 6:37. The moon will set at 7:36. This is a 59 minute lag time (lag time = the time between sunset and moonset) -- plenty of time for the sky to darken enough after sunset for the moon to be sighted. 2.39% of the lunar surface will be illuminated. And the moon's altitude at sunset will be 11.4 degrees. The sun's altitude at moonset will be -12.6 degrees.
So using the calculations, we have 59 [lag time] + (27 x 2.39 = 64.53) [27 times illuminated percent] + (5.5 x 11.4 = 62.7) [5.5 times lunar altitude] - (5 x -12.6 = -63) [5 times sun's altitude] divided by 1.7 = 146.6
As seen above, anything over 112 should be visible (the higher the number, the greater the visibility), and we have a VN of 146.6 -- hence, New Moon!
Email: Brian Hoeck
©2017 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 2001-2030
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