Black Moon of August 2020 set to peak this week: How to observe this lunar event?

Stargazers will have an opportunity to view more of the stars as the 'Black Moon' of 2020 is about to grace the skies this week. The Black Moon takes place once every 32 months and it generally does not affect every time zone. Let’s take a look at what the event means and how to spot it.

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What is the Black Moon?

The Black Moon or New Black Moon is an unusual celestial event that has been defined as the second new moon in a month or no full moons during a month.

How to see the Black Moon?

Space watchers may feel tempted to observe the New Black Moon, however, it isn’t exactly visible. This might make the event not exciting for the lunar fans, however, one can rather observe more of the clusters, the galaxies, and the stars due to a lack of the moonlight. The Black Moon will occur during the wee morning hours on August 19 and it will be the third New Moon during a particular season with four new moons. The Moon seasons can stretch up to three months and they generally involve only three new moons.

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And while people won’t be able to observe the event, the New Moon will reach its peak at around 2.41 AM UTC. However, it will serve as a wonderful opportunity for Astronomy photographers who can use the unusual celestial event to capture a lot of amazing shots of the Milky Way with the help of special equipment. Following the event, the satellite will slowly begin to distance from the Sun and become more illuminated with every passing day.

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Why is the Black Moon invisible?

It is impossible to observe the Black Moon because the Moon comes between the Sun and the Earth. The Moon places itself very close to the sun, and not directly in front of it. This ultimately causes the direct sunrays to light up the far side of the Moon. However, in case the Moon directly cross path with the Sun, the phenomenon leads to a solar eclipse. We will witness the next total solar later this year in December.

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Image credits: Bill Ingalls | NASA