Blood moon, supermoon, blue moon... Earth's satellite seems to change size and colour every month! This week, the star that worries sailors the most will be black. We explain what this means.
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A second new Moon
The term 'Black Moon', although very classy is a matter up for debate. Indeed, it is often used in the field of astrology and the press but is not scientifically recognised.
In concrete terms, it is a second new moon appearing in the same month. As a reminder, a lunar month has a duration of 29.5 days, and it will not have escaped your attention that our months are - with the exception of winter - a little longer. It, therefore, happens that two lunar months overlap a calendar month. The last Black Moon took place in August 2019, and the next one is therefore scheduled for Saturday, April 30, starting at 10 pm.
The Sun has a date with the Moon and the Earth too
But apart from that, what is a New Moon? It is a phase during which the satellite is located right between the Earth and the Sun. In other words, its visible side is not illuminated by our star, which explains why it is difficult to see with the naked eye... and why this event is called a Black Moon.
This article was translated from Gentside FR.
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