Rare “Black Moon” to Darken the Skies on August 23
Stargazers won’t see much in the night sky this weekend, but that’s exactly what makes it special. On August 23, the moon will reach its new phase at 2:06 a.m. EDT (06:06 GMT), creating a rare astronomical event known as a Black Moon.At that moment, the moon will be almost directly aligned with the sun, positioned in the constellation Leo. The result? A moonless night sky.
While the term “Black Moon” isn’t official in astronomy, it’s popularly used to describe unusual occurrences of the new moon. This week’s event falls under the “seasonal” category the third new moon within a season that unusually contains four.
Typically, each season has three new moons. But since the lunar cycle doesn’t perfectly sync with the calendar, every few years an extra one slips in. The third of these is tagged as a Black Moon. The last one of this type was on May 19, 2023.
For Northern Hemisphere observers, summer 2025 brought new moons on June 25, July 23, August 3, and September 21. With four squeezed into the season, August 23 earns the Black Moon title. These events occur only once every 33 months.
There’s another definition too when two new moons fall in the same calendar month. That version won’t happen again until August 31, 2027.
Unlike a lunar eclipse or supermoon, a Black Moon can’t be seen directly. The moon’s illuminated half faces away from Earth, leaving the sky darker than usual. But don’t be discouraged: on August 24 and 25, just after sunset, a razor-thin crescent will emerge low on the western horizon a delicate sight for skywatchers.
The darker skies also offer a bonus: an ideal chance to glimpse faint deep-sky objects and even the crowded heart of the Milky Way, usually hidden by moonlight.
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