The New Moon

This September gives you a great time for stargazing due to the New Moon that occurs in the middle of the month. What is the New Moon? How to take advantage of this astronomical event? What does it have to do with the Milky Way? Read our article to find out!

What is the New Moon?

There are four primary lunar phases:

• New Moon;
• First Quarter Moon;
• Full Moon;
• Third Quarter Moon.

The New Moon is the opposite of the Full Moon. During the full phase, one side of the Moon is illuminated by the Sun, and due to this, we see the bright disk in the sky. During the New Moon phase, our natural satellite is between the Sun and the Earth, and the sunlight illuminates only the Moon’s far side. The Moon stands in one line with the Sun and disappears from our view, blending in the night sky.

The Moon orbits the Earth once every 27.32 days, so there is a new phase approximately once a month. Most of the time, the New Moon passes not in front of the Sun, but only near it. That’s why, in most months, there’s no solar eclipse. In June 2020, the Moon passed right in front of the Sun, causing an annual solar eclipse.

The perfect stargazing night

Days around the New Moon are perfect for stargazing and photographing the night sky. Take advantage of the moonless sky and capture the brilliant center of the Milky Way. It is only visible during specific seasons and for a few hours a day. In the Northern Hemisphere, the season lasts from March to September, and in the Southern Hemisphere, from February to October. For a beautiful photo, you need to know the hours of darkness, the day with no Moon, and the Milky Way position for your location.

How to find out all these things or simply check the time of the New Moon? Well, you can google every piece of information or use the Ephemeris — Sun and Moon Calendar & Calculator. It will help you to make your perfect shot. Here is how:

• In Ephemeris, you can check altitude, azimuth, shadow ratio, sunrise and sunset times, lunar illumination and phases, moon calendar, etc. for any date, time, and place.
• 3D compass allows you to track the Sun and the Moon’s position, the Milky Way, sunrise and sunset times, golden hour, blue hour, twilight, etc.
• With the AR function, you can predict and visualize a scene you want to catch.
• The Sun and Moon calculator shows the best time and date to capture the Sun, the Moon, and the Milky Way at a location in the sky you need or catch the desired lighting (golden hour, blue hour, twilight).
• With the in-app reminders, you won’t miss unique scenes.

Use an opportunity to see and photograph beautiful astronomical objects and share your shots on social media with us.

Happy stargazing!