An astronomical event known as a "black moon" will happen tonight, though Lancaster County likely won't be able to see it — but, that's the point.
A black moon happens when four new moons happen during one season, according to Space.com.
[Fun fact: the counterpart to the black moon is the blue moon, which happens when there are four full moons in one season.]
When is the Black Moon in 2022?
The Black Moon in 2022 falls on Saturday 30 April 2022. As a new Moon, illumination will be at just 0.2 per cent, and it will be at a distance of 395,380km from the Earth.
The Black Moon will cross the sky during the day, rising at 5:37am, and setting at 8:07pm Daylight Saving Time [DST].
The Black Moon on Saturday is special because it coincides with the first solar eclipse of the season.
The next Black Moon of this type falls on 19 May 2023.
When is the solar eclipse?
The solar eclipse begins at 7:45pm DST and reaches the maximum phase at 9:41pm, but unfortunately, it won't be visible from here in the UK. The path of the solar eclipse will travel over the southeast Pacific, southern South America, Antarctica and the Atlantic. Around 64 per cent of the Sun will be blotted out by the Moon at the maximum phase.
If you're lucky enough to glimpse it, the solar eclipse will take place in the constellation of Taurus the Bull
The next solar eclipse visible from the UK will be a partial solar eclipse on 25 October 2022. For a total solar eclipse, we have considerably longer to wait, the next occurrence being 23 September 2090, although there will be other opportunities around the world before then.
What causes a solar eclipse?
A solar eclipse happens when the Sun, Moon and Earth align perfectly in a straight line, so the Sun casts a shadow of the Moon over the Earth. In other words, from our viewpoint, the Moon - for a moment - blocks the light of the Sun from reaching Earth. A partial solar eclipse, like the one on 30 April 2022, happens when the Moon comes between the Sun and the Earth, but only part of the Sun is obscured.
A solar eclipse will only happen during a new Moon.
However, not every new Moon will result in a solar eclipse. This is because, relative to the Earth, the Moon's orbit is inclined [tilted] at an angle of 5.14 degrees. So as the Moon orbits the Earth, it's often above or below the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun - we call this the plane of the ecliptic. Therefore the Moon's shadow will often miss the Earth, appearing to us as though it's just above, or just below the Sun in the sky.
Discover more:
- Why are solar eclipses rarer than lunar eclipses?
- Solar eclipse 2021: The best pictures of the Sun spectacle from around the world
- How far apart are the Sun, Moon and Earth during eclipses?
How often do new Moons occur?
Like their fully-illuminated counterpart, new Moons occur on average, every 29.53 days, and they bookend one lunar cycle. Most of the time, there are 12 new Moons in a year. However, as the length of the lunar cycle is slightly shorter than months with 30 or 31 days [the exception being February], we sometimes get an extra new Moon. This year we have an extra new Moon, and it's the Black Moon on Saturday.
A new Moon occurs when the Moon is located directly between the Sun and the Earth. The sunlight still hits the Moon, but since it reflects off the Moon's far side, which is tidally locked away from us, from our perspective the Moon cannot be seen.
More like thisOther definitions of a Black Moon
- When there is no new Moon in a calendar month.
- When there is no full Moon in a calendar month.
- When there are four new Moons in a season.