There’s a black moon on the rise.
On Wednesday night, North Americans will get a rare chance to see a “black moon,” which occurs only about every two and a half years, according to Space.com.
To be clear, the moon won’t suddenly turn black — not exactly, at least.
So what does a “black moon” mean?
A typical lunar cycle includes one new moon every 30 days or so, when the sun’s light shines from behind the moon, leaving the side of the moon facing our fair planet in the dark — invisible to Earthlings below. But when we get two new moons in the same month, the second is known as a black moon.
Stargazers will be even more disappointed to find out this month’s black moon will be situated as close to Earth as its orbit allows, qualifying this new moon also as a supermoon. If it were lit, our cosmic neighbor would appear much larger and lower than usual.
On the bright — er, dark side, a new moon also creates the perfect opportunity to catch a flying comet, as meteor showers are more active this time of year. Astronomers say the best time to turn your eyes to the skies will be at 11:13 p.m. EDT, when the new moon officially begins and the heavens are at their darkest.