And When Is the Next Black Moon?
It’s a “Black Moon”! This sounds ominous but it’s not. Find out what a Black Moon is, when the next Black Moon occurs, and special symbolism and folklore.
What is a Black Moon?
A Black Moon is a special kind of New Moon, just as a Blue Moon is a special kind of Full Moon. Neither are astronomical terms; both are catch phrases for an unusual lunar calendar occurrence. For this reason, the definition of a Black Moon can vary and may refer to…
- …the second new Moon in a month. This is the definition of Black Moon that’s used most often, and it’s the most common (once every 29 months).
- …the third new Moon in a season of four New Moons. Every season (spring, summer, fall, winter) has 3 months and 3 new Moons. However, occasionally (every 33 months), there is a season with 4 new Moons. In this case, the third New Moon is called a Black Moon.
- …when there are NO new Moons in a month (February). This can only happen in February since it’s the only calendar month that is shorter (28 days) than the lunar month. When there is not a new Moon in February, there will be two new Moons for both January and March. It’s a rare occurrence (every 19 years or so) and the next one isn’t until 2033.
- …every new Moon, since we’re then seeing the Moon’s dark or black side.
When is the Next Black Moon?
If we go by the most popular “two new Moons in a single month” definition, Black Moons are slightly rare, occurring once every 29 months (two to three years). The next Black Moons are:
Year Date Type
2023 May 19 Third New Moon in a season with four New Moons
2024 Dec 30 Second New Moon in a single calendar month
2025 Aug 23 Third New Moon in a season with four New Moons
Note: Black Moons vary by time zone. See the Moon phases for your location.
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What Will You See During a Black Moon?
Black Moons are invisible, like all new Moons, so you won’t see the Moon itself!
Did You Know: The new Moon always rises near sunrise, and crosses the sky with the Sun during the day, so the glare of the Sun is too strong. See our handy chart on “When Will the Moon Rise Tonight?”
Remember, there are four quarters of the Moon—the Moon phases. There’s usually a new Moon and a full Moon about once a month, because the Moon takes about a month to orbit Earth.
- With the “full Moon,” the entire disk of the Moon is illuminated by the Sun (because the two celestial objects are on opposite sides of the sky).
- In contrast, the “new Moon” has its dark side facing us. It’s not reflecting any of the Sun’s light because the Moon is lined up between the Earth and Sun. Only the far side of the Moon is illuminated, and we can’t see this side from Earth.
See the Moon phases for your location here.
Stars Look Brighter
Although you can’t see the Black Moon, the good news is that a moonless sky is excellent for stargazing (since the Moon’s light won’t drown out the stars).
A day or two after the new Moon, you’ll see the slim crescent Moon in the west after sunset. This is such a magical moment. Often you’ll not only see the crescent but also the darkened area of the Moon’s disk shining dimly. The reflected light is called “Earthshine.”
The Tides Are Stronger
The gravitational influence of the Moon creates tides. And when it’s the new Moon or full Moon, there is even more of an effect on tides.
This happens because the Sun, and Earth are in alignment at the times of the new or full moon. This creates extra-high high tides as well as very low, low tides—both commonly called “spring tides.”
Black Moon Influence
As the Black Moon is a new Moon, there are some special practices and folklore associated with this time of the lunar cycle.
- For example, according the age-old practice of Gardening by the Moon, one should plant vegetables that bear crops above ground during the light: from the day the Moon is new to the day it is full.
- There is also folklore about the new Moon and good luck. Some folks considered this to be a special time when any activities are more powerful and effective, and other believes this is a time when activities should not be conducted!
- Of course, there are also religions which follow a lunar calendar and pay special attention to the new Moon. After the Moon’s absence for a few days, it’s kind of a lunar rebirth. Thus, some cultures revolved ceremonies around that first appearance of the new Moon.
Bob Berman
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You left out the black moon for July 28 and July 29 2022 the 4th black moon of the year. Thank you.
This is very special to me as a Muslim. It coincides with the onset of the month of hajj, the pilgrimage to Makka to perform hajj. With the sighting of this moon, the first day of the month of hajj commences. Praise the Lord, Allahu Akbar!
One of the fishing methods frequently used by the old time native Floridians (I don’t think that most of the transplants know about it) is spear fishing for flounder. The technique consists of wading at night in the shallow water of bays, where there is not a lot of wave action, with a lantern and a spear. When you see a flounder dug into the sand on the bottom, you spear it. Flounder are very hard to see because the partially bury themselves in the sand and they change color to mach their surroundings. The only time that they cone close enough to shore where the water is shallow (less than knee deep) enough so that you can spot them is during the new moon. The new moon sets at about the same time as the sun so you have a low tide, which is lower than normal, just as it is getting dark. Two nights before, the night of and two nights after the new moon are the prime times to go flounder gigging.
Thank you for this inspiring story, Ron. One day, I hope to gig some flounder, myself.
Perhaps on one of these three black moons this year, I will finally get to go flounder gigging.
I'm fine with Moon names from folklore, like Blue Moon or Black Moon. It's a quick way to refer to a more complex astronomical term. Sure, the media catches on, creating hype, but it does make astronomy more relatable. And supermoons have real effects from tides to people.
Nothing to see here. Moving on...
See ya on the flipside, Paula!
The Black Moon this year is on my birthday. What does a Black Moon mean astrologically?
I remember when my daughter came home from first grade. I asked her what she learned at school today. She told me she learned about the phases of the Moon. I asked her "Well, what are the phases of the Moon?" She told me new moon, quarter moon, half moon, 3/4 moon, Gibbous Moon and full moon.
I asked her, "What's a gibbous moon?" She replied it's between 3/4 and full. I asked her, "Why do they call it a gibbous moon? Is it gibbous a couple more days and it will be full?"
The next day she came home with a note from her teacher requesting a parent teacher conference.
Hi, Paul, My first thought reading your comment was to recollect my own experiences (as parent and also teacher) with today's education system "dumbing things down." But then it registered: first grade? I *then* thought, wow, maybe the teacher's right; that's a bit young to get so technical. But then I thought, wait: why is a first grade teacher teaching about a Gibbous moon to begin with? - or, really, the concept of "phases of the moon" at all? Were I the principal, I'd send a note to both the teacher and you requesting a friendly conference to first express my appreciation for your attention to children's science education and then to introduce the idea of "developmentally appropriate curriculum." I'm aware there are differences of opinion here. As for my own, with children of that young age I'd have more of an objective to inspire students to appreciate the beauty and wonder of the moon, first and foremost (for parents) via some "moon gazing" over the course of a season, having children experience firsthand those "six phases." Ha, ha, what they'd actually observe would be only continuous, gradual changes--- in an endless cycle! On a moonlit night children might be encouraged to go back inside and put pencil to paper and sketch a landscape. Personally, besides the old poem that even very young children could learn: "I see the moon, and the moon sees me. God bless the moon, and God bless me," I'd read aloud and maybe have them memorize Robert Louis Stevenson's poem The Moon, in "A Child's Garden of Verses." There are also moon proverbs and myths to share: the Old Farmer's Almanac is a great source for that (too!). Parents needn't be concerned. There's plenty of time for the rest, a more intellectual understanding of the moon. Hopefully by then children would have established something of a personal connection and have reason to care. :)
