Rare black moon to appear on Western Hemisphere Friday

Black Moon. File Photo

The last day of September will bring a pleasant surprise to those in the Western Hemisphere, as a black moon will cloak the skies in darkness on Friday.

A black moon, which happens once in 32 months, occurs when there are two new moons in one month, according to an ABC News report.

The lunar phenomenon is similar to the well-known blue moon, which is the name given to the second full moon in a calendar month. The last time that two new moons fell in the same month was in March 2014.

Because the event will happen during a new moon, it will not be a visible to the naked eye, since the illuminated side of the moon will be facing away from the Earth.

Some areas of the world including the US will get to experience the black moon.

“It’s the second new moon this month in all of the Americas, but not in Europe and points east from there,” astronomer Bob Berman was quoted as saying in the report.

For areas in the Eastern Hemisphere, the new moon will officially occur after the calendar flips to October.

Another new moon will occur at the end of the month, giving the Eastern Hemisphere a black moon right around Halloween,while the next black moon  in the Western Hemisphere will happen next year,  Aug. 21.  Khristian Ibarrola