‘Black Moon’ to Rise Over Louisiana This Weekend – What Is It?

(KMDL-FM) The large shining orb in the nighttime sky known as the Moon has been a source of mystery and inspiration for generations across Louisiana. Think of all the great Cajun songs you've heard that reference that heavenly body. There are quite a few of them. And if you explore other genres of music that folks in Louisiana also love, you'll find more than a few references to the moon in those songs, too.

I am sure somewhere during the course of your elementary school years, you were exposed to the different phases of the moon. You know, full, new, first quarter, last quarter, crescent, and my personal favorite, the gibbous. I think I like the gibbous because it can either be waxing or waning, depending on what phase of the moon's 28-day cycle we are observing.

What is the Technical Name for Moonlight?

Usually, when we speak or write about the moon, we are speaking and writing about the moonlight. There have been countless romantic ballads and tunes written about the light of the silvery moon that you can't fight. And when there is a faint visible light from the shaded part of the moon that we can see down on the Earth, it is called Earthshine.

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But this weekend, our friendly nightlight in the sky, the moon, will turn dark, and that has certain groups of people a little more excited than others. What group do you think might benefit most from a dark night sky?

What Groups of People Celebrate the Black Moon?

The people who seem to be a little more excited than the rest of us for the black moon are those who have connections to witchcraft. Individuals who follow that path see this weekend's dark moon as a time for introspection, releasing negativity, and setting intentions for a new lunar cycle.

You've probably guessed from the video that there is a more common name for the black, sometimes called the dark, moon. Most of us call it a new moon. It's basically the part of the lunar phase where the reflected sunlight off the surface of the moon cannot be seen on Earth.

What is the Difference Between a Black Moon and a New Moon?

What makes a "new moon" different from a "black moon" is a similar scenario that marks the difference between the "full moon" and the "blue moon".  A blue moon is the second full moon of a calendar month. A black moon is the opposite. It is the second new moon of a calendar month. 

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And it's not something that happens that often. If you do the math, you will eventually figure out that a black moon happens once every 29 months, which is just over two and a half years, so the occurrence is rare. 

If you wanted to plan for the next black moon that is scheduled to not be seen in the nighttime sky, because it's dark, you will need to plan to be outside on the evening of August 31, 2027.