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Full moon names and their meanings
A full moon transpires approximately once each month. Every month’s full moon possesses a distinct name and significance.
An extraordinary event is set to unfold in the night sky in the upcoming days — a black moon.
This uncommon astronomical phenomenon arises from an extraordinary alignment in the calendar: two new moons occurring within a single month. The initial one took place on Dec. 1, followed by the second — the black moon — which is expected on Monday, Dec. 30.
Astronomers refer to it as a black moon, a phenomenon we encounter relatively frequently. Here’s what you should understand about this unusual lunar event.
What is a black moon?
Black moons aren’t commonly discussed since they are quite infrequent. A monthly black moon, or the second new moon within a calendar month, arises roughly every 29 months — and sometimes takes longer.
Moreover, there are different types of black moons.
Astrophysicists categorize the third of four new moons within a season as a seasonal black moon. Additionally, in instances where there is no new moon in February — happening approximately every 20 years — it leads to black moons appearing in January and March.
Nevertheless, fundamentally, a black moon is the additional new moon in its cycle.
The previous occurrence of a two-in-one black moon took place in July 2019. The extended interval between consecutive monthly black moons resulted from the synchronization of the lunar cycle and the calendar.
How to see a black moon
Here’s the catch regarding witnessing a black moon: there’s actually nothing visible.
New moons take place when the moon is situated between the Earth and the sun, causing its shadowy side to face us, which results in a night devoid of the moon’s glow.
However, this creates favorable conditions for stargazing. Without the moon’s brightness, faint celestial bodies such as constellations and star clusters become more observable.
Provided there are no storms, planets such as Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn will radiate brightly in the black moon night sky.
We anticipate a seasonal black moon in August, and the following monthly black moon will occur in August 2027.
When is the next full moon?
If you seek a full view of the moon, you’ll have to wait around two weeks.
The wolf moon, indicative of January’s full moon, is set to occur on Jan. 13.
If you prefer to catch a glimpse of a sliver of the moon, that will take place on New Year’s Day, when the waxing crescent — a narrow crescent moon — will be visible shortly after sunset.
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