Black Moon: The new moon (Amavasya) of May 2023, which occurs on Friday, May 20, will be a ‘black moon’. On every Amavasya, the moon is in line with the sun, blocking its bright side from Earth. A black moon means there is no moonlight in the night sky, which makes it ideal for stargazing even if you can't see it since the side of the moon that faces us is under the shadow.

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The next occurrence of the Black Moon, based on the definition of the second new moon in a calendar month, is set to happen on December 30, 202

What is Black Moon?

The black moon is the third new moon in a period with four new moons. This phenomenon only occurs once every 33 months or something.

A solstice and an equinox mark the start and conclusion of each celestial season on Earth. The vernal equinox, which occurred on March 20, 2023, signalled the start of the current season, which is spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern. Importantly, a new moon fell on that day.

Three more new moons can happen until the summer solstice on June 21, 2023, since a new moon appears every 29.5 days, or the length of time it requires for the lunar surface to complete one orbit of Earth.  This season's new moons fall on March 21, April 20, May 19, and June 18 respectively. The third new moon this month is known as the "black moon."