dipper@utastro.UUCP (Debbie Byrd) (10/24/84)
Today is the only day this month that you can't see the moon. We'll tell you why -- right after this. October 24 New Moon The moon moves in orbit around the Earth in nearly -- but not quite -- the plane of Earth's orbit around the sun. That's why we don't have a solar eclipse once each month, even though the moon gets in between the Earth and sun that often. When the moon passes between the Earth and sun, it generally passes just above or below the sun from our vantagepoint. That's the case today -- the day of new moon for the month of October. Today's new moon is between the Earth and sun -- not directly in between -- but as close as it'll come this month. Because it's hidden in the sun's glare today, the moon won't be visible anywhere in the sky. But you may have seen the waning crescent moon Tuesday morning before dawn -- and you may see the waxing crescent in the west after sunset on Thursday. To see the moon Thursday evening, look right after sunset toward a western horizon free of trees, buildings and clouds. The moon will have just emerged from being between the Earth and sun -- from our vantagepoint, it'll still be near the sun in the sky -- just below a very bright object, the planet Venus. If you do see the moon in the west Thursday evening, or even if you don't, be sure to look again Friday evening. Then the moon will have moved higher in the west -- and it'll be right next to Venus. Script by Deborah Byrd. (c) Copyright 1983, 1984 McDonald Observatory, University of Texas at Austin