Shaban moon sighting update: SUPARCO predicts January 20 start

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) has shared its astronomical assessment for the sighting of the new moon of Shaban 1447 AH in Pakistan.

According to SUPARCO, the new moon is expected to be born on January 19, 2026, at 12:52 AM. However, scientists say that the chances of seeing the moon with the naked eye on the evening of January 19 are very low.

At sunset on January 19, the moon will be about 17 hours and 36 minutes old, and in coastal areas of Pakistan, the time between sunset and moonset will be only around 33 minutes. Because of this short window and the moon’s low position in the sky, a clear sighting is unlikely.

Based on these calculations, SUPARCO predicts that the first day of Shaban will most likely be January 20, 2026.

The space agency also emphasized that this forecast is astronomical only. The official start of Shaban will be announced by the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, which reviews moon sighting reports from across the country.

The announcement is highly anticipated, as Shaban comes just before Ramadan, making moon sighting updates closely followed by people nationwide.

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