IFLScience By Dr. Russell Moul
The rare astronomical event is similar to a Blue Moon but for a different phase in the lunar cycle.
This year will see (kind of) another rare astronomical event taking place across the night sky. On December 30-31, we will have a rare Black Moon to see out 2024.
What is a Black Moon?
You’ve probably heard of a Blue Moon; it’s a far more well known phenomenon that is different from a Black Moon but is useful for understanding them nevertheless.
A Blue Moon, which earnt its name from the 1937 edition of the Maine Farmer’s Almanac, can occur in two situations. It is either the third full Moon in a season with four full Moons (seasons typically only have a three full Moons), or the second full Moon in a month.
Interestingly, this second definition is the most popular one, but it is actually built on a misunderstanding. In a 1946 piece written for Sky and Telescope magazine, James Hugh Pruett incorrectly referred to the Blue Moon as the second moon in the same month. Although he got this wrong, the idea has stuck around ever since.
This explanation is confusing but important because Black Moons also have two definitions that operate along similar lines. But if a Blue Moon is based on the number of full Moons in a given period, a Black Moon is based on the number of new moons. So, it is either the third new Moon in a season with four new Moons (just like its Blue counterpart) or it is the second new Moon in a single month.
The coming Black Moon will be an example of the second definition and will occur at 4:26 pm CST (10:26 pm UTC) on December 30, 2024. This means it will be December 30 for America, but December 31 for Europe, Africa, and Asia…
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE… (iflscience.com)
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