NI Bureau
Except for the rare astronomical event exciting the gaze of the stargazers on December 30 and 31 Black Moon occurs once every two to three years. The term ‘Black Moon,’ however, is not officially defined, and it is most commonly utilized by astronomers and astronomy enthusiasts to refer to the occurrence of two new moons in one calendar month.
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Following geographic location, the Black Moon would be seen on two respective dates. According to the United States Naval Observatory, it falls on December 30 at 5:27 pm ET (2227 GMT) in the US. But in Europe, Africa, and Asia, it would be witnessed on December 31, 2024. For India, it shall be visible at about 3:57 am IST on December 31.
A new moon occurs when the sun and the moon line up so that the lit side of the moon is facing away from the earth, which renders it invisible. Because the length of the lunar cycle lasts about 29.5 days, some months will experience two new moons, giving rise to the Black Moon phenomenon.
Though the Black Moon will not be visible, the changes in night sky conditions will be spectacular. The darker the skies, the better are the night-sky conditions for spotting stars, planets, and distant galaxies. Stargazers will be given binoculars or telescopes to closely look at the celestial objects.
This is a rare opportunity for stargazing, as the next Black Moon will hit until August 2025.
What to Expect:
Though the Black Moon will not be visible, the dark sky will create superb stargazing conditions; do not miss this great opportunity to see the night sky at its best!
Visibility Data:
America: December 30, 5:27 pm ET
Europe, Africa, Asia: December 31
India: December 31, 3:57 am IST
