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CELESTIAL OBJECTS COME AND RELY FROM OUR SIGHT IN THE NIGHT SKY as they move in orbit around the Sun. Whether it’s a full moon, a meteor shower, or just the best night to see Mars, we’re here to look up to the sky and tell you to look up and appreciate the wonders of space from Earth. .
This week, we ask you to marvel at the beauty of the elusive Dark Moon as Earth’s only natural satellite embarks on a new lunar cycle on Tuesday night.
The new moon will rise on Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 10:41 p.m. EDT, according to NASA’s SkyCal site. This month’s new moon is also a rare black moon, as it is the third new moon in a season with four new moons.
Every 27 days, 7 hours and 43 minutes, a new moon appears in the sky.
The lunar cycle of the Moon is marked by a few milestones. At the peak of its cycle, a small burst of the crescent moon gradually appears in our skies as it transforms into a full moon. After that, it begins to sink into invisibility again, before starting over.
As the Moon begins its new cycle, it appears at its weakest – this makes other celestial objects shine even brighter. Indeed, at the beginning of its cycle, the Moon is on the same side of the Earth as the Sun, with its dark side turned towards our planet. As a result, to us Terrans, it seems that our natural satellite has become almost invisible.
However, this month’s new moon is very special because it is considered a black moon. These occur once every 33 months.
Each season usually has three months and therefore three new moons. This summer officially began on Saturday June 20, marked by the summer solstice and a new moon fell on June 21. Therefore, this summer season will have four new moons, in June, July, August and September.
The New Moon is a great opportunity to observe other celestial objects in the night sky because the light coming from the Moon will be too weak to interfere with the light coming from the stars, planets and galaxies.
Sky watchers can take advantage of this lunar silence on Tuesday and Wednesday evening, then the Moon will slowly begin to reappear as a thin crescent on Thursday evening.
The next seasonal Black Moon will take place on May 19, 2023.
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