new moon roly-poly

[mothwench]

what does the term "new moon" suggest to you? is it the phase when the moon is not visible at all, or is it the first crescent of the waxing moon?
also, how many moon phases are there, to you? 3 or 4, or maybe 5 even? :huh:

edited to add: i voted no moon, and i reckon the moon has 4 phases. :kooky:


edited again! :eek: :eek: attenSHUN!!! the second option on the poll should read the first sliver of the waxing moon, NOT waning moon. :bigredblu what am i on today, aye?

[Mòrag Elasaid Ní Dhòmhnaill]

I voted the first sliver because when you see no moon it's the dark of the moon. So I guess I think of it as 5 phases.

[Rockprincess]

I voted no moon showing, because that's how I've always known it to be used. I think of four phases - waxing, full, waning, new.

[mothwench]

I voted no moon showing, because that's how I've always known it to be used. I think of four phases - waxing, full, waning, new.

well, thank the gods! i was beginning to feel strange here. :woah:

[Nantonos]

other - its the first sliver of the waxing, not waning, moon.

Otherwise it would be the last sliver. And it would be gibbous.

[Aleannah]

well, there are two ways to look at it...one has 4 phases (waxing, waning, new and full)...the other has 6 phases (new, 1st quarter, 2nd quarter, full, 3rd quarter, 4th quarter)...however, I personally think of it in 4 phases...

[Shatril]

I agree that the new moon is the first sight of the waxing moon. I believe that there are 4 phases of the moon. It is hard to count no moon "dark of the moon" as a phase, since it isn't here? However, I'm flexible in this. hehehehe

[mothwench]

other - its the first sliver of the waxing, not waning, moon.

Otherwise it would be the last sliver. And it would be gibbous.
ugh. woops. boy, do i feel a dumbass now! :bigredblu sorry peeps, i can't even fix it, cause i can't edit polls. :wah:

[mothwench]

well, there are two ways to look at it...one has 4 phases (waxing, waning, new and full)...the other has 6 phases (new, 1st quarter, 2nd quarter, full, 3rd quarter, 4th quarter)...however, I personally think of it in 4 phases...

ack! :eek: don't go making it even more complicated than it already is!

;) :p just kidding, i see what you mean.

[Wyrdsister]

No visable moon, for me.

[skilly-nilly]

It is hard to count no moon "dark of the moon" as a phase, since it isn't here?

It's there, it's just not visible :ghost:

I perceive the 'new moon' as the first sliver of moon appearing in the sky:fpeek:

And I see the moon as having 5 phases:
New(sliver), waxing(half-full), Full, Gibbous(half-empty), and Dark.

I 'see' a profile in the bright of the new moon, a yin/yang symbol in the waxing half, a sweet face in the full moon, a hag profile in the dark part of the gibbous moon, and a black rabbit in the dark moon.

I have those symbols tattooed around my wrist as a bracelet.

Not to mention all the tidal stuff :fishtank: , skilly-nilly

[LadyTrinity]

New moon is when the moon has faded and has come back. :tongueout

[Nantonos]

New moon is when the moon has faded and has come back. :tongueout

Right - and very precsely - its when it has come back. Not when it has started to come back, and not when it went away. Its after it has turned back and the resuts of that turning are first visible.

[Shatril]

It's there, it's just not visible :ghost:

I guess I should have said it isn't visible. Sorry :crystalba I'm not a real literal person.

[Strawberry Bounce]

The first sliver of the waxing moon.

[Calyx]

for some reason, I find this to be a very odd question.....
I voted for when there is no moon, because technically, that IS the new moon, you just can't see it. But that time is also referred to as the dark moon.
Aaaaaaaah! You are going to make my brain explode! :blushake:

[mothwench]

lol. :p mine already has. ker-ploosh! you should see the mess. :noway:

[Calyx]

It's so confusing at times to think about, nicht wahr? :bigredgri

[mothwench]

ja! verwirrung!!! :confused:

:p meaning: yes! confusion!

[Calyx]

So then what are the conclusions you are drawing? I thought skilly had some good points in the other thread (about wheel of the year v. moon cycles, etc)

[mothwench]

i'm drawing the conclusion that there is much dischord here. :p no, seriously... i think there might be a difference between what's scientifically defined as a new moon, and what it is in the sense of witchy thinking: like how to time a ritual etc.
i'll try and find out though, at least which one is correct in the scientific sense.

[Calyx]

Moth,
Try this one: http://home.hiwaay.net/~krcool/Astro/moon/moonphase/

However, there are some other confusing information as well, such as this, from Wilkipedia:

Traditionally, the lunar phase new moon begins with the first visible crescent of the Moon, after conjunction with the Sun. This takes place over the western horizon in a brief period between sunset and moonset. Therefore the time and even the day depend on the actual geographical location of the observer.

Currently, the new moon is defined by astronomers to occur at the moment of conjunction in ecliptic longitude with the Sun, when the Moon is invisible and a solar eclipse may occur. This moment is unique and does not depend on location. To avoid confusion with the traditional new moon, this may be called the dark moon.

The new moon is the beginning of the month in the Muslim calendar. For this religious purpose, the new month begins when the first crescent moon is actually seen. Thus, it is impossible to be certain in advance of when months will begin; in particular, the exact date on which Ramadan will begin is not known in advance. In Saudi Arabia, observers are sent up in airplanes if the weather is cloudy when the new moon is expected.


clear as mud? :hehehehe:

[mothwench]

i found one here, but i'll look at your link too, thanks. :)
from http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/moon_phases.html
New Moon - The Moon's unilluminated side is facing the Earth. The Moon is not visible (except during a solar eclipse).

[Calyx]

i found one here, but i'll look at your link too, thanks. :)
from http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/moon_phases.html
Mine says the same thing as this one, there's just more moon info in there. :spinner:

So it appears that there is disharmony between scientists and others. I put others because there's too much to encompass in there.

[mothwench]

Moth,
Try this one: http://home.hiwaay.net/~krcool/Astro/moon/moonphase/

However, there are some other confusing information as well, such as this, from Wilkipedia:

Traditionally, the lunar phase new moon begins with the first visible crescent of the Moon, after conjunction with the Sun. This takes place over the western horizon in a brief period between sunset and moonset. Therefore the time and even the day depend on the actual geographical location of the observer.

Currently, the new moon is defined by astronomers to occur at the moment of conjunction in ecliptic longitude with the Sun, when the Moon is invisible and a solar eclipse may occur. This moment is unique and does not depend on location. To avoid confusion with the traditional new moon, this may be called the dark moon.

The new moon is the beginning of the month in the Muslim calendar. For this religious purpose, the new month begins when the first crescent moon is actually seen. Thus, it is impossible to be certain in advance of when months will begin; in particular, the exact date on which Ramadan will begin is not known in advance. In Saudi Arabia, observers are sent up in airplanes if the weather is cloudy when the new moon is expected.


clear as mud? :hehehehe:

oh, wha...? well, i'm no muslim. so my new moon is dark and dreary. :bad:

[mothwench]

Mine says the same thing as this one, there's just more moon info in there. :spinner:

So it appears that there is disharmony between scientists and others. I put others because there's too much to encompass in there.

yeah, well, i always thought it was the invisible phase, because, i did have this moon calendar last year, which told you when's the best time to plant the runner beans and when you should cut your hair, avoid arguments etc... and on the days that it said "new moon" there was no moon, and that calendar was far from scientific, in any way.

_happydanc <--- needed to post funky new smilies. :steppy:

[Calyx]

Well, I must say that I agree with you on the dark= new part. I've also read a lot of farmer's almanacs in my time, so perhaps that's what influenced me as well?
Something to ponder. _wth_

[zakzekezedd]

Well, I think the "new moon" is the first sliver of the waxing moon that becomes visible. The dark moon is when there is no moon showing at all. I know that convention places the New Moon at the lack of any Moon showing, but I like to differentiate between the Dark Moon and the New Moon. so...Full Moon, Waning Moon, Dark Moon, New Moon, Waxing Moon...I guess I come up with 5.