dipper@utastro.UUCP (Debbie Byrd) (06/18/85)
After today, the moon will become visible in the west after sunset. More -- after this. June 18 New Moon The magical instant of new moon occurs today -- early in the morning for those in the United States. New moon is when the moon comes most nearly between the sun and Earth in its monthly orbit around our world. Like all new moons, this one marks the beginning of a new cycle of lunar phases -- in which the moon will wax to full in the next two weeks -- then take another two weeks to wane -- until we have another new moon. After today, the moon will become visible in the western twilight sky. It'll appear on Wednesday shortly after sunset -- a fragile crescent that'll soon follow the sun below the western horizon. When seen in the west after sunset in this way, the moon is said to be "young." It'll appear higher in the west after sunset each evening -- until, a week from today, it'll be at its highest point in the sky when the sun is going down -- half-lit -- called a first quarter moon. This week, when you see the crescent in the west after sunset, look also for a soft glow on the unlit portion of the moon. This glow is called "earthshine," and it's really light from the Earth reflected back toward the moon. Also, if you see the moon Wednesday evening, look for two stars just above the moon. These stars are Castor and Pollux, the eyes of the twins in the constellation Gemini. The planet Mercury is just below the moon in Wednesday's twilight sky -- but it's probably too low to be seen without binoculars or a telescope. Script by Deborah Byrd. (c) Copyright 1984, 1985 McDonald Observatory, University of Texas at Austin