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Friday, 23 March 2018

MAKING WAVES When is the next new moon, when is it visible in March and when will they appear in 2018?

A new moon happens every 29.5 days - when the side of the moon facing the Earth is in total darkness
A new moon happens every 29.5 days - when the side of the moon facing the Earth is in total darkness
NEW moons hit our skies about once a month, plunging our nights (or early mornings) into darkness.

With the next full moon due tonight, March 17, here's everything you need to know about the lunar phenomenon.

A new moon is when the Sun and moon are aligned, with the Sun and Earth on opposite sides of the moon.
Its different from a lunar eclipse, pictured, which is when the Earth blocks the moon from sunlight
Its different from a lunar eclipse, pictured, which is when the Earth blocks the moon from sunlight
It happens every 29.5 days, and means the moon is completely blocked from view. The monthly phenomenon occurs because the trio's alignment leaves the side of the moon facing the Earth in total darkness.

The new moon also rises and sets at around the same time as the Sun, bringing it too close to the daytime star's glare to be visible to the naked eye.


But we can see the moon again the next day, when a 'waxing crescent' is in our skies. The moon moves in four quarters with peaks called First Quarter, Full Moon, Third Quarter and the New Moon.




What's the difference between a new moon and a lunar eclipse?

A new moon happens because of our changing view of the moon, which means we're seeing the side that's blocked from the Sun.

A lunar eclipse, on the other hand, happens when the Earth gets in the way of sunlight and stops it hitting the moon at all.  This only happens around once every six months.

Essentially, new moons happen when the moon is between the Sun and the Earth. And lunar eclipses occur when the Earth is between the Sun and the moon.

The new moons still to come in 2018

  • March 17 - 1.11pm
  • April 16 - 2.57am
  • May 15 - 12.47pm
  • June 13 - 8.43pm
  • July 13 - 3.47am
  • August 11 - 10.57am
  • September 9 - 7.01pm
  • October 9 - 4.46am
  • November 7 - 4.01pm
  • December 7 - 7.20am

When is the next new moon?

The next new moon will be on March 17, at 1.11pm UK time.

What about full moons?

Full moons fall around two weeks after the new moons.
You can view our full 2018 calendar here.


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