Sharjah observatory forecasts Eid Al-Fitr on March 20 in UAE
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RIYADH, March 7, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) — The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology (SAASST) said astronomical calculations indicate that Eid Al-Fitr in the United Arab Emirates will fall on Friday, March 20, 2026.
According to the academy’s observatory, the crescent moon marking the start of Shawwal will not be visible on Wednesday, March 18, which corresponds to the 29th day of Ramadan. The moon is expected to set before sunset that evening, making observation impossible.
As a result, Ramadan in the UAE is expected to complete 30 days, with Thursday, March 19 marking the final day of the holy month.
Astronomical calculations place the moon’s conjunction over Sharjah at 4:24 a.m. local time on March 19.
By sunset that evening, the crescent would be about 14 hours old with an elongation of approximately 6.5 degrees from the sun and positioned about six degrees above the western horizon, remaining visible for around 29 minutes after sunset.
SAASST said these conditions make the crescent difficult to observe locally, even with telescopes.
The observatory noted that sighting conditions could differ in other regions, meaning some countries may observe the crescent earlier depending on geographic location.
Based on these calculations, the academy said Friday, March 20 is expected to mark the first day of Shawwal and Eid Al-Fitr in the UAE.
