ISLAMABAD, Oct 27: There is a likelihood of the first of Ramzan falling on November 17, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has announced.

According to a press release issued here on Saturday, PMD director Anjum Bari Farooqi said there were bright chances that the Ramzan moon would be sighted on November 16 (Shaban 29) according to astronomical calculations.

The press release informed that to become visible to naked eye, a new moon had to be more than 19 hours of age whereas this one would be more than 30-hour-old throughout the country.

A new moon, he said, should last for at least 41 minutes after the sunset whereas, this moon would have a 59 to 65-minute post-sunset duration in the country. Similarly, the chances of its being visible were greater because it would be more than 10 degrees above the horizon at the time of sunset against the normal new moon, which is normally less than five degrees above the horizon.