What to know about tonight’s “black moon”
December is coming to an end, along with a “Black Moon,” but those hoping to see the phenomenon might be out of luck.
This is because the Black Moon refers to the second new moon in a calendar month, and the new moon is not visible to the naked eye from Earth. While new moons occur year-round, two new moons occur in a calendar month only about every 29 months, according to the agency. old farmer’s almanac.
According to NASA, the moon will gradually become more visible over the next few days, reaching its first quarter on January 6 and becoming full on January 13.
Those hoping to see the Black Moon again don’t have to wait too long, as there are actually several types of Black Moons. old farmer’s almanac. Some people use this term to refer to the third new moon in a season of four new moons. This type of Black Moon is rarer than the more common Black Moon, occurring every 33 months. By this definition, the next Black Moon will occur on August 23rd.
The term “Black Moon” may also be used when there is no new moon in a month, which can only happen in February due to its short length. This happens only once every 19 years or so, with the next occurrence in 2033, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
Some people even use the term “Black Moon” to refer to each new moon because during this phase, the moon’s illuminated surface is not visible from Earth.
Most months have a full moon and a new moon because the lunar calendar basically aligns with the calendar year. But just as there can be two new moons in a month, there can also be two full moons, with the second full moon in a month considered a blue moon. Similar to the Black Moon, which can have multiple meanings, the Blue Moon also refers to the third full moon in a season of four full moons.
No monthly or seasonal Blue Moon reported in 2025 time and date.com. The next monthly Blue Moon occurs on May 31, 2026, and the next seasonal Blue Moon occurs on May 20, 2027, with dates varying by time zone.
