This year’s Ramadan will be the last one to begin in the summer season until 2041, the Astronomy Association (AA) in Jeddah announced in a statement.
The Saudi AA lists 1 June as the start of summer season using the meteorological calendar as opposed to the traditional astronomical system in which summer starts on 21 June.
Each year Ramadan begins 11 days earlier than the year before due to the difference between the Muslim Hijri lunar calendar and the Gregorian solar calendar.
The lunar year consists of 12 months, each varying between 29 and 30 days, making up a 355 or 354 days in a year – hence the 11-day difference with the solar calendar year.
Ramadan 2017 is estimated to start on May 27 and last until June 25, which means it will still be summer for most of the month according to the meteorological season.
The holy month will start in spring for the next nine years, in winter for the following eight years, and in autumn during the following eight years, before starting again in summer.
It has been starting during summer since 2007.
source: Ahram Online
