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Rare Event in the Night Sky; Second New Moon in January, ‘Black Moon’ Rises Tonight, Jan. 30

by Madison V. Fisler

Jan. 30, 2014. Tonight marks a strange and rare event in the night sky. Tonight will be a new moon, the second new moon in January. This phenomenon is called a “black moon” and will appear as a “supermoon,” much larger to the naked eye than usual and is visible during the day. 

imgresIn many superstitions, a “black moon” is seen as an omen of change. 

Supermoons occur only five or six times per year, and appear larger in the sky than it does on a typical night.

The new moon is the first phase of the lunar cycle where nearly zero percent of the moon is illuminated, typically when the sun and the moon have the same elliptical longitude, according to NASA.

Where will you be to watch the Black Moon rise?