Phase 1 of 8 🌑
New Moon Moon
The Moon sits between Earth and the Sun, its sunlit half facing away from us — so the night sky is moonless and at its darkest.
The next New Moon is on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. Tonight the Moon is a First Quarter, 31% lit.
What a new moon is
At new moon the Moon passes (roughly) between Earth and the Sun. The half that is lit faces the Sun — and therefore directly away from us — so the side we see receives no sunlight at all. The Moon is still there, crossing the daytime sky alongside the Sun, but it is effectively invisible: lost in the Sun’s glare by day and below the horizon by night.
This is the zero point of the lunar cycle. The Moon’s age resets to 0 days, and over the following 29.5 days it waxes to full and wanes back again. If the alignment at new moon is exact — which happens only a few times a year, because the Moon’s orbit is tilted about 5° — the Moon blocks the Sun and we get a solar eclipse. Most months it passes just above or below the Sun in the sky, and nothing visible happens at all.
When & where to see it
You can’t watch a new moon directly — there is nothing lit to see. What you get instead is the darkest night sky of the month, which is exactly what stargazers wait for: the Milky Way, meteor showers and faint deep-sky objects all show best within a few nights of new moon.
The first thing to look for afterwards is the young crescent: a hairline sliver very low in the west, 20–40 minutes after sunset, usually first spotted one to two days after the exact new moon instant.
Exact rise and set times depend on where you stand — check moonrise & moonset for your location.
Upcoming new moon dates
| Date (UTC) | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|
| Wed, August 12, 2026 | 14:35 |
| Fri, September 11, 2026 | 01:27 |
| Sat, October 10, 2026 | 15:26 |
| Mon, November 9, 2026 | 07:06 |
| Tue, December 8, 2026 | 23:57 |
| Thu, January 7, 2027 | 19:03 |
Computed from lunar geometry (UTC). For any specific date, try the moon phase calculator.
New Moon meaning
In lunar symbolism the new moon stands for beginnings — a blank page, intentions set, projects started. It is the traditional moment to begin things that you want to grow along with the waxing light. More on moon phase meanings →
Frequently Asked
Why can’t you see a new moon?
Because its sunlit half faces away from Earth. The side turned toward us is unlit, and the Moon sits so close to the Sun in the sky that it rises and sets with it — hidden in daylight glare.
What time does a new moon rise and set?
A new moon rises around sunrise and sets around sunset, travelling across the sky with the Sun. That is why the night of a new moon is completely moonless.
How often does a new moon happen?
Once every synodic month — about 29.5 days. Each new moon resets the lunar cycle to day 0.
Is a new moon good for stargazing?
It is the best night of the month. With no moonlight, faint targets like the Milky Way, meteors and galaxies are at their most visible from a dark site.