What celestial rarity does April 30 have in store for us? It's the day of the first solar eclipse in 2022, along with a Black Moon! Yes, you read that right. Like 'Blood Moon' and 'Blue Moon', 'Black Moon' is a rare phenomenon that last one occured in 2014, while the next one is likely to happen only in 2023. It is even more special and rare for it to coincide with a solar eclipse. According to NASA, on April 30, from 12:15 pm till 4:07 pm, the Black Moon will be blocking some portion of the Sun, leading to a partial eclipse.
We find out more about this phenomenon in today's edition of #WhatTheFAQ.
So what exactly is a Black Moon?
A Black Moon is the opposite of a Blue Moon. While a Blue Moon indicates two full moons in the same month, a Black Moon refers to two new moons in the same month. There are other definitions too, such as the third new moon in an astronomical season with four new moons, the absence of a new moon in February or the absence of a full moon in February.
Which regions can see the Black Moon?
Regions of the South Pacific and Southern Oceans, including southern and western portions of South America, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, southern Peru, southern Bolivia, western Paraguay and a few parts of Brazil are expected to experience the Black Moon.
How often does a Black Moon occur?
Approximately, Black Moons occur once every 29 months. The last Black Moon happened on March 30, 2014. The next Black Moons may fall on May 19, 2023, December 30, 2024 and August 23, 2025.
What is its significance?
As opposed to a supermoon, which occurs when the Moon is closest to Earth on its egg-shaped monthly orbit, and a Blood Moon, which is during a lunar eclipse, Black Moon is the outcome of celestial mechanics, that is the motion of objects in outer space.
