The new moon lunar cycle begins with the dark moon. It's when you look into the sky, and the moon surface is untouched by sunlight.
The Lunar Calendar is the measure of the moon phases. It begins at the new moon lunar cycle where a dark moon appears.
During the lunar cycle, the moon progresses into a crescent moon, half-moon to full moon. It then goes moves into to crescent again and back to the new moon again.
As the moon cycle affects all life on earth including humans, it’s useful to know the new moon lunar cycle.
In this article, we’ll explore the moon phases and how to know when the new moon phase begins.
What is a new moon?
The moon cycle is a record of the moon surface as its view changes from earth. For a short time, the moon is dark and can’t be seen. That’s what we call the ‘new moon.’
It’s considered both the birth of a new moon and the death of the previous full moon cycle.
How long is a lunar cycle?
It takes 29.53 days for the new moon lunar cycle to complete. It begins with a new moon.
Two weeks later, or halfway, is the full moon, and the next new moon restarts again just over four weeks later.
How does the full moon and new moon occur?
Remember that the lunar cycle is due to how we see the light reflected from the sun on the moon’s surface.
The rotation of the moon and its orbital period means the same surface always faces earth. As an observer, we see whether that surface is lit with sunlight, or it’s dark. A new moon is dark, and a full moon is a complete round disk.
The new moon happens when the moon sits between the earth and the sun. That means the surface we see is entirely dark. You can still see the moon in this phase, but it’s much harder than usual.
The full moon is when the earth sits between the sun and the moon. That means we look at the moon with its surface fully lit with sunlight.
When does a new moon happen?
A new moon is born every 29.5 days. During that period
the moon progresses through certain stages or phases.
Each phase is made by a unique moon shape, from a crescent to gibbous (bulbous), and the round, full moon.
The 2019 new moon lunar cycle dates
- January 5
- February 4
- March 6
- April 5
- May 4
- June 3
- July 31
- August 30
- September 28
- October 27
- November 26
- December 25
Conclusion
You can follow the new moon lunar cycle by knowing the date of each new moon.
You can read more about the Lunar Calendar here.
How do you think the new moon makes you feel?
Leave your comments in the section below.
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