Bradford moon spotters pass on skills to next generation for Eid

Moon spotters were passing their skills to the next generation as Muslims waited for a sighting of the new moon to celebrate Eid. Families and astronomers gathered at a site known locally as "top of the world" on Gaisby Lane, Shipley, to try to see a slither of the new crescent moon. Islam follows a lunar calendar with each month starting at the sighting of the moon. Eid al-Fitr is held on the first day of the 10th month of the calendar marking the end of Ramadan, when Muslims fast from dawn to sundown. Opinions on when to celebrate Eid vary among British Muslims - some follow guidance from Saudi Arabia while others look to the nearest Muslim country, Morocco. The cloudy weather meant the moon was not spotted in the UK on Thursday so the New Crescent Society declared Eid on Saturday, but it was seen in Saudi Arabia and Morocco and many Muslims celebrated Eid on Friday. The New Crescent Society is a British grassroots astronomy network founded in 2016, which seeks to unite British Muslims by following a sighting of the moon in the UK. Organiser Hamza Mutahir Khan, who has been spotting the moon every month for six years, said the network was growing and becoming more recognised. "Si