New moon before sunrise
getty
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The new moon in September 2023 is currently invisible from Earth. With our natural satellite positioned between Earth and the sun, only the far side of the moon is illuminated.
In September 2023, the new moon will occur on Friday, September 15 at 1:40 a.m. UTC, or Thursday, September 14 at 9:40 p.m. EDT.
However, this ninth new moon of the year holds something very special—it will lead to both a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse. The next new moon on October 14 will cross the sun’s disk, creating an annular solar eclipse, also known as a “ring of fire.” During this event, it is crucial to wear solar eclipse glasses at all times.
Eclipses occur due to a line-of-sight coincidence. Although the moon is about 400 times smaller than the sun, it is about 400 times further away. However, this is not always true, as the elliptical orbits of Earth around the sun and the moon around Earth vary. This variation leads to two different types of eclipses when conditions are perfect.
On Saturday, October 14, there will be a “ring of fire” annular solar eclipse visible from nine U.S. states. This is because the moon will be close to its monthly apogee, the point farthest from Earth, during the new moon.
Eclipses occur when the moon’s orbital path intersects the ecliptic, which is the apparent path the sun takes through our daytime sky. The moon’s orbital path, inclined about 5º to the ecliptic, intersects it twice a month at two points called nodes.
A new moon can only perfectly cover the sun if the timing is right. When this happens, it is followed or preceded by a lunar eclipse as the full moon enters Earth’s shadow. This sequence of events will occur in October with a “ring of fire” annular solar eclipse followed two weeks later by a “Hunter’s Moon Eclipse.”
Understanding the ‘Ring of Fire’
On October 14, a new moon will pass in front of the sun, covering approximately 90% of it and creating a “ring of fire” around the moon. However, this phenomenon will only be visible from a narrow strip of the Earth’s surface. The path of annularity will be about 125 miles wide and stretch from the North Pacific to the South Atlantic.
It will make landfall at the Oregon coast and move across northern California, Nevada, southwestern Idaho, Utah, northeastern Arizona, southwestern Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. It will then be visible from Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, and Brazil.
Understanding the ‘Hunter’s Moon Eclipse’
On October 28, a full “Hunter’s Moon” will pass through Earth’s outer penumbral shadow. Only 6% of the moon will enter the central shadow, known as the umbra, resulting in a slight reddish hue. However, this will be barely noticeable and won’t be a true “Blood Moon.”
This eclipse will be best viewed from Europe, Africa, and Asia—the night-side of the world. In the eastern Americas, it will only be visible during moonrise, and in western Australia, it will be visible during moonset, as reported by Sky At Night magazine.
October’s eclipse season is highly anticipated by eclipse-chasers, especially for the “ring of fire” phenomenon.
I am the editor of WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com and author of “The Complete Guide To The Great North American Eclipse of April 8, 2024.”
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
