On August 23, 2025, a rare black moon will take place — the only one of its kind this year. According to IFLScience, it will be a seasonal black moon, meaning it’s the fourth new moon within a single astronomical season, a phenomenon that won’t happen again until 2027. While the event itself will be invisible to the naked eye, its impact on the night sky will be dramatic, creating near-perfect conditions for deep-space observation.
What Makes a Black Moon Rare
The Moon orbits Earth about 12.37 times per year. Most years see 12 new moons, but every so often, the timing adds up to 13. When four new moons occur in a single season — the period between a solstice and an equinox — the fourth is called a black moon. The term originated in astrological circles centuries ago, initially referring to a supposed hidden satellite of Earth, before being adapted to describe this rare lunar timing.
Unlike the well-known blue moon (either the second full moon in a calendar month or the third full moon in a season with four), a black moon occurs during the new moon phase. At this stage, the Moon aligns between Earth and the Sun, its illuminated face turned away from us. The result: the Moon disappears entirely from the night sky.
Darkness as an Opportunity
The absence of moonlight can be a gift for astronomers. As IFLScience notes, the Moon’s brightness often washes out faint celestial objects, making them hard to spot. On August 23, the natural blackout will reveal details of the Milky Way, star clusters, and even distant nebulae with unusual clarity.
Set of moon phases. Credit: NASA/Shutterstock
This year’s black moon falls shortly after the Perseid meteor shower, which peaks in mid-August. While the meteors themselves won’t coincide perfectly with the event, the darker skies around this date will still benefit anyone hoping to capture long-exposure shots of the cosmos or simply enjoy a night of stargazing far from city lights.
The Next Big Lunar Events
If you can’t catch this year’s seasonal black moon on August 23, 2025, the sky has more in store. The next seasonal black moon will arrive on August 20, 2028, and it will also coincide with a supermoon. The more calendar-based “monthly black moon” — when two new moons occur within the same month — is predicted for August 31, 2027.
On the brighter side, the next blue moon — defined as the second full moon in a single calendar month — will take place on May 31, 2026. Looking further ahead, a seasonal blue moon — the third full moon in a season that hosts four full moons — will occur on May 20, 2027.
Whether it’s the hidden charm of a black moon or the rare glow of a blue one, each event offers its own chance to experience the night sky in a way that feels both rare and timeless.