As of this Tuesday (18th), the New Moon period begins. This one, however, has a special feature: it is the Black Moon. The event will take place because, this year, the winter in the southern hemisphere (summer in the northern hemisphere) will have four New Moons, one more than normal. When this occurs, the third is known as the Black Moon.
With the event, it will be possible to see several planets and constellations when looking at the sky. In the Southern Hemisphere, for example, it will be possible to see Jpiter and Saturn close to each other, in a vertical position. Drawing a straight line to the south, it is possible to find the Centaur constellation. In it is the Alpha Centauri star system, the closest to the Sun, just 4.3 light years away.
Looking west, you can still see the constellation Argo Navis, which includes one of the brightest stars, Canopus.
For those in the Northern Hemisphere, it will be possible to see a little more. In addition to Jpiter and Saturn, positioned next to each other, Martetambm can also be seen as the night progresses, at the tip of the Pisces constellation. At dawn, Vnustambm will be visible and, because of its brightness, it can be found even with a clear sky.
It is important to highlight that, despite the name Lua Negra, the natural satellite does not change its color. The name is given only because it is the second appearance of the New Moon in a month.
Moon younger than previously thought
And speaking of the Moon, a new study suggests that astronomers were wrong to theorize the period of its formation. Research by scientists at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and University of Münster, also in Germany, indicates that the natural satellite may be much younger than we think, and that its origin coincides with a crucial event in the formation of our planet.
The most accepted theory for the formation of the Moon is that it results from the collision of the Earth, still in formation, with another celestial body the size of Mars, called Theia. The moon would have appeared by consolidating the debris ejected during the collision.
But a new model developed by German scientists suggests that this impact occurred much later than expected, 4.425 billion years ago, with a margin of error of 25 million years more or less. About 85 million years later than imagined before.
Via: Space