A new moon is the first phase of the lunar cycle. It occurs when the moon is between the sun and the Earth, and its side facing the Earth doesn't receive light from the sun. New moons are often correlated with new beginnings, introspection, and potential.
A new moon is the opposite of a full moon. This means that this lunar phase is not visible from Earth.
New moons occur about every 29.5 days, according to National Geographic. This means that there are typically 12 new moons in a year. But, because the lunar cycle is not perfectly synchronised with the Gregorian calendar, some months can have two new moons.
When this happens, at least one of those New Moons is a Black Moon. National Geographic states: “Usually, new moons occur only once a month, but because there’s a slight disjunct between the moon’s phases—a 29.5-day cycle, on average—and the Gregorian calendar, some months can have two new moons: one at the beginning and one at the end.”
New moons rise and set around the same time as the sun. The new moon is not visible in the night sky and it is often referred to as “the dark moon.”
The new moons have been given different names according to the seasons. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, “Historically, names for the full or new Moons were used to track the seasons. Today, we think of Moon names as “nicknames” for the Moon.”
“The Moon names we use in The Old Farmer’s Almanac come from Native American, Colonial American, or other traditional North American sources passed down through generations,” it added.
Here are all the new moons of the year 2023 along with their names:
| Month | New Moon Date | Names |
| January | 21 January, 2023 at 3:53 PM EST | New Snow Moon |
| February | 20 February, 2023 at 2:06 AM EST | New Worm Moon |
| March | 21 March, 2023 at 12:23 AM EST | New Pink Moon |
| April | 19 April, 2023 at 11:12 PM EST | New Flower Moon |
| May | 19 May, 2023 at 10:53 AM EST | New Strawberry Moon |
| June | 17 June, 2023 at 11:37 PM EST | New Buck Moon |
| July | 17 July, 2023 at 1:32 PM EST | New Sturgeon Moon |
| August | 16 August, 2023 at 4:38 AM EST | New Blue Moon |
| September | 14 September, 2023 at 8:40 PM EST | New Harvest Moon |
| October | 14 October, 2023 at 12:55 AM EST | New Hunter’s Moon |
| November | 13 November, 2023 at 4:27 AM EST | New Beaver Moon |
| December | 12 December, 2023 at 6:32 PM EST | New Cold Moon |
Source: NASA and Old Farmer’s Almanac
New moons are a time of great potential and possibility. They are a time to set new intentions, clear away old baggage, and start fresh. If you are looking for a time to make a change in your life, a new moon is a great time to do it.
READ| What is Strawberry Moon? Know its Significance, Date, and Time
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