March's new moon is rising today, offering a perfect opportunity to marvel at the winter constellations before they vanish from the night sky.
Scheduled for March 10 at 5:00 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC), according to the U.S. Naval Observatory, the new moon arrives two days after the waning moon's alignment with Mars and Venus, and three days before its alignment with Jupiter.
Termed a "new moon" because it marks the beginning of a lunation, a lunar cycle, this celestial event occurs when the moon lies directly between Earth and the sun, a phenomenon that repeats approximately every 29.5 days. This alignment, also known as a conjunction, results in a solar eclipse when the moon obscures the sun, although such an event is not expected this time. The next solar eclipse is slated for April 8 and will be visible across much of the United States.
The timing of lunar phases varies due to the moon's position, accounting for differences in time between locations on Earth owing to varying time zones.
New moons provide exceptional conditions for stargazing. If you're keen on exploring the dark night sky, our guides to the best telescopes and binoculars offer valuable insights.
Whether you're interested in photographing the moon or delving into celestial photography in general, our guide on capturing the night sky or planets, along with recommendations for the best cameras and lenses for astrophotography, serve as excellent resources.
New moons play a significant role in lunar calendars, despite their invisibility, with ancient astronomers and scholars in Islamic, Jewish, and Chinese cultures historically relying on them to determine the beginning of months.
An intriguing activity is attempting to spot the moon shortly after the new moon phase, especially on March 10 or March 11, just after sunset when the crescent is faint but sometimes visible. However, caution must be exercised when observing objects near the sun to avoid eye damage.
During periods when the moon appears as a thin crescent, a phenomenon known as "earthshine" occurs, with faint illumination visible on the dark portion of the moon caused by sunlight reflecting off the Earth's surface onto the lunar surface.
On the day of the new moon, Mars and Venus will still be observable for mid-northern latitude observers, albeit close to the horizon in the dawn sky. For instance, in New York, they rise at 6:07 a.m. and 6:27 a.m.,
lenses for astrophotography,