The new moon in the arms of the old moon (And the old moon in the arms of the new moon)
Each month, a few days before finalizing a lunation , looking towards the east before dawn, we can see, very close (visually) from the sun, "the new moon in the old moon's arms" .
That is, we look at the face that comes from the next lunar month, maybe a little dark, or only slightly illuminated by light reflected from the Earth ( Earthshine). This lunar phase is over what remains of the last little bits the lunar cycle is about to end, as if these were the old arms holding spots on their laps to the face of the next lunar month, which begin just seconds after the new moon .
To try to explain a little better this view, see in more detail the concept of lunation:
In a general sense is the average time to occurrence of a full lunar cycle, around 29.53 days, beginning and ending at any given stage. Strictly speaking, as used here, is the lunar cycle begins each new moon When it is said that this satellite has age zero, and ends when the age is about 29.53 days, although not all have exactly the same duration lunar months.
- For example, according to certain records (arbitrary of course), with the new moon of April 3, at 8:32:18, began the lunation 1092, which will conclude on 3 May at 00:50:42, when he will start the lunation 1093.
- So if you saw the moon in these dawns say on Friday 29 April (04:30), Saturday 30th (04:30), Sunday May 1 (04:42), Monday 2 (0500), perhaps with the help of binoculars or a telescope, then you saw "the new moon in the old moon's arms" .
These latter are small pieces of the old moon because their ages ranging from 25.83 each day, to 28.85 days.
- On Tuesday May 3 will not see the moon, because we are very near the new moon.
- But on Wednesday, May 4 (18:24), on Thursday, 5 (18:48) Friday, 6 (18:48) and Saturday 7th (18:48) you can then view west shortly after sunset and close (visually) of, to "the old moon in the arms of the new moon " .
This is because in these days when the moon has an age between 41.6 hours and 4.78 days during the lunation 1093, the light reflected from Earth's dimly lit anterior face of the lunation (moon old), which will look into the laps of this sliver of crescent moon.
- Observe these two phases (the old moon and new moon) requires a low horizon and a clear sky, especially in the days closer to the moon , and possibly tools.
also be up early in the first case (looking east) and be very attentive to the sunset (look to the West) in the second.
However, the picture may be somewhat simpler than in full or in the quarter due to lower contrast, because both pictures are made at dusk.
Will not you try?
However, if you spent the previous dates for this lunation, try the next appropriate periods, for example this year about four days before and four days after their respective new moons, which occur in the following Dates: June 1, 2001 and July 30, August 28, September 27, October 26, 1925 November and 24 December.
Did you know that nobody has seen (in the strict sense) the new moon?
thing is we have approached a few hours before or after it.
What is your record?
Good luck.
Send us your photos.
