When it comes to rare lunar events, September 2016 seems to be the month that keeps on giving: This Friday, Sept. 30, a black moon will rise in the skies of the Western Hemisphere, a phenomenon we haven't seen since March 2014.
So what is a black moon exactly? It has several definitions, but in Friday's case, a black moon is the second new moon to occur in a single month, something that only happens roughly every 32 months, according to Space.com. (Typically, each month, there's a full moon and new moon — generally, a blue moon refers to when there's a second full moon in one calendar month.)
The moon itself will be pretty much invisible, since a black moon refers to the moment when the dark side of the moon faces the earth, but it will provide a great opportunity for stargazing, thanks to all that darkness.
The Black Moon, which will occur at 8:11 p.m. ET on Friday, will only be happening in the Western Hemisphere because, technically, the new moon will happen Oct. 1 for the Eastern Hemisphere (they'll be getting their black moon at the end of next month).
The next time there will be a second new moon in a single calendar month in the Americas will be July 2019.
From: Country Living
