You’ve heard of a blue moon, maybe even a blood moon, but what about a black moon?
This month, we’ll be treated to the roughly annual lunar experience – though it’s not something anyone can actually see, and its very definition is up for debate.
“Black moon” is not an astronomical term, but is an increasingly popular phrase thrown around the community of sky watchers, fueled by media outlets (including this one) that give headlines to cosmic events.
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, a black moon can mean one of several things. Similar to a blue moon, a black moon can refer to the second new moon in the same calendar month, or the third new moon in an astronomical season that features four. One of those two things happens once almost every year.
The black moon this year refers to that second definition. There are four new moons this spring: March 21, April 19, May 19 and June 17. The third of those moons, coming this Friday, is considered the black moon.
Unlike a glowing full moon, a new moon is not something that is easily observed. A regular part of the lunar cycle, it occurs when the moon falls between the Earth and the sun, obscuring it from view. The lack of a visible moon means darker skies at night, which allows for better stargazing and more visible meteor showers.
The new moon is an important part of cultures and religions that use lunar calendars, typically marking the beginning or ending of a cycle. It’s also key for many modern pagan practices, often involving rituals to manifest new goals and ideas.
A black moon can also refer to a February in which there is no full moon (which is a much rarer occurrence), or it can simply be used to refer to any new moon, since it’s always dark, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
The next black moon will occur in 2024, when there will be two new moons in the month of November, according to Time and Date.
— Jamie Hale
503-294-4077; jhale@oregonian.com; @HaleJamesB
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