The moon shines over the Marrara Oval floor in the course of the T20 worldwide cricket match between Australia and South Africa in Darwin on Aug. 10.
William West/AFP through Getty Photographs
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William West/AFP through Getty Photographs
There are “blood,” “tremendous” and “blue” moons, after which there’s the “black” moon.
The “black moon,” a uncommon phenomenon that happens throughout a brand new moon section of the lunar cycle, will happen this weekend. However do not get your hopes up an excessive amount of, scientists say, as a result of will probably be technically invisible.
Here is what to know.
What’s it?
When the moon is sort of between Earth and the solar, one facet of the moon faces the solar, and that facet is illuminated, however the facet the Earth sees is darkish. That is known as the brand new moon section of the lunar cycle — when the moon is not seen at night time.
Throughout this section, the illuminated facet of the moon is just not solely going through away from Earth, however it is usually up within the sky in the course of the daytime and rises and units similtaneously the solar, according to NASA. The moon is gravitationally locked with Earth, that means we at all times see the identical facet of the moon from Earth.
It is unclear when it was coined, however “black moon” is an unofficial astronomical time period. A brand new moon is taken into account by some to be a black moon one in every of two methods. It could actually occur when a brand new moon seems twice in a single month (new moons often occur as soon as monthly) or when there are 4 new moons in a single season. When there are 4 new moons in a single season, the third new moon known as a “black moon.”
Saturday’s black moon is the third new moon of the summer season season. The fourth new moon will happen on Sept. 21, someday earlier than the primary official day of the autumn season or autumnal equinox within the Northern Hemisphere — when the solar strikes instantly over the equator, creating equal quantities of daylight and night time time.
You will not see it
Because the illuminated a part of the moon shall be going through away from Earth, and the moon rises and units with the solar, the moon is not going to be seen within the night time sky.
Nevertheless, it is a nice alternative to stargaze and see the Dumbbell Nebula (M27), identified for its dumbbell-like form, which could be seen with a telescope between the Altair and Deneb stars, according to NASA.
When is the following “black moon”?
The following black moon is ready to happen Aug. 31, 2027, according to Space.com. That new moon would be the second new moon section in a single calendar month.
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