Rare Black Moon Rises Today, But Don't Expect to See It!

[Disir]

Even though it will be nearly invisible to skywatchers, a rare Black Moon will be in North American skies today (Sept. 30).

A Black Moon is a newer term that refers to the second new moon in a month. The moon goes through regular phases because of its changing alignment with the Earth and the sun. The new moon phase occurs when the sun is completely illuminating the far side of the moon, making the Earth-facing side completely dark and nearly impossible to see.

But just like the term Blue Moon — which refers to the second full moon in a month — the term Black Moon has no scientific significance, at least not usually. The exception is when the new moon blocks the disk of the sun in the sky, producing a solar eclipse. [Black Moon 2016: What It Is & Why You Can't See It]

Rare Black Moon Rises Today, But Don't Expect to See It!

It's completely awesome and we can't see it but, if we could.......it would be completely and totally awesome.

 

[waltky]

Granny says dat's when gypsies can put a hex on ya...

‘Black Moon’ Starts Friday
September 29, 2016 - This Friday will see the rise of a black moon.

And while that might sound ominous, it’s perfectly normal and probably doesn’t foretell the end of the world as some would say. A black moon is simply the second new moon, or dark moon, of the lunar month. It will be so dark, in fact, that it basically will be invisible because it's not lit by the sun, particularly in the Western Hemisphere. “While you can’t see the moon, it will be a great night for seeing the stars,” according to private forecasting service The Weather Channel.

The silhouette of the statue of Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado hill stands out against the full moon in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil​

While they are normal, black moons are not that common, with the last one occurring in March of 2014. For sticklers, the Western Hemisphere’s new moon officially begins at 12:11 a.m. UTC, according to private forecasting service AccuWeather. For those reading in the eastern Hemisphere, fret not. You’ll have your chance later in the month. “However, these areas will not miss out on a black moon,” AccuWeather said. “Another new moon will occur at the end of the month (of October), giving the eastern Hemisphere a black moon right around Halloween.”

The term black moon is neither scientific nor recognized by NASA, according to the Los Angeles Times. Ian O’Neill, an astrophysicist and the senior producer for space at Discovery News and Seeker.com, told the Times that the black moon has become a topic of conversation thanks to social media, where there was intense interest when a “supermoon” and a “blood moon” occurred. “When you have anything that's the least bit foreboding in the night sky, the media jumps on it,” he said. “Social media has a huge part to play. These things go viral.”

‘Black Moon’ Starts Friday