This year will see ( kind of ) another uncommon astronomical result taking place across the dark sky . On December 30 - 31 , we will have a rare Black Moon to see out 2024 .
What is a Black Moon?
You ’ve probably heard of aBlue Moon ; it ’s a far more well have intercourse phenomenon that is unlike from a Black Moon but is useful for understanding them nevertheless .
A Blue Moon , which earnt its name from the 1937 edition of the Maine Farmer ’s Almanac , can occur in two spot . It is either the third full Moon in a season with four full Moons ( seasons typically only have a three full moon ) , or the second full Sun Myung Moon in a calendar month .
Interestingly , this second definition is the most popular one , but it is actually built on amisunderstanding . In a 1946 piece written for Sky and Telescope magazine , James Hugh Pruett incorrectly bear on to the Blue Moon as the 2d moon in the same month . Although he get this damage , the idea has stuck around ever since .
This explanation is perplexing but important because Black Moons also have two definitions that lock along similar bank line . But if a Blue Moon is based on the act of full Moons in a cave in period , a Black Moon is based on the number of unexampled Sun Myung Moon . So , it is either the third Modern Moon in a season with four new Moons ( just like its blue-blooded counterpart ) or it is the second new Moon in a single month .
The come Black Moon will be an example of the 2nd definition and will happen at4:26pm CST ( 10:26 pm UTC ) on December 30 , 2024 . This means it will be December 30 for America , but December 31 for Europe , Africa , and Asia .
Black Moons are uncommon , but the one that is defined as the second of two in a single calendar month are more common ( occurring once every 29 months ) than the seasonal definition ( occurring every 33 month ) . The last one occurred onMay 19 , 2023 .
regrettably , as uncommon as this type of astronomical event may be , it is not in reality visible in our sky . As with any new Moon , a Black Moon appears when the Moon is jolly much between the Earth and the Sun , making it difficult to see because the side that is illume by the Sun is facing away from the Earth . However , the absence seizure of the Moon in the night sky can also make it a great metre to do more worldwide sensation gazing , as there is less light to get in the way .
And if you ’re waitress for the next Blue Moon , the next time two full Moons appear in the same calendar month is May 31 , 2026 , and the next seasonal Blue Moon is May 20 , 2027 .
