Sky calendar

New Moon

At the New Moon the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, so its lit side faces away from us and it disappears from the night sky for a day or two. In astrology it is the start of the monthly cycle.

What happens in the sky

The New Moon is the moment the Moon and the Sun share the same ecliptic longitude, a conjunction. The Moon is then too close to the Sun’s glare to be seen. About a day or two later a thin crescent appears low in the west just after sunset; in many cultures that first sighting, not the astronomical New Moon, starts the month.

Because the Sun and Moon are together, a New Moon is always in the same zodiac sign as the Sun. There is one roughly every 29.5 days, so most years have twelve and some have thirteen. When a New Moon falls close to the nodes of the Moon’s orbit, the Moon covers part or all of the Sun somewhere on Earth: a solar eclipse.

What a New Moon means in astrology

Astrologers treat the New Moon as a seed moment. The Sun (purpose) and the Moon (feelings and habits) are united in one sign, so the themes of that sign are said to be easier to begin and to commit to. A New Moon in Capricorn is traditionally a time to set structured, long-term goals; a New Moon in Gemini suits learning and conversations; a New Moon in Cancer turns attention to home and family.

The quiet and darkness of the New Moon are part of the meaning. It is a time for intention rather than display: plant the idea, then let the growing Moon carry it forward over the next two weeks toward the Full Moon.

The traditional advice is to wait until the crescent is visible before launching something public, and to use the New Moon itself for planning and choosing.

How people use it

A common practice is to write down a few intentions linked to the sign of the New Moon, then check back at the following Full Moon. Keeping intentions specific and few works better than a long list.

In your own chart, the house where the New Moon falls shows which area of life the fresh start is traditionally about. Enter your birth details in Kapparo to see your houses.

Dates for 2026 and 2027

Times are in UTC. Rows already past are dimmed (updated 3 Nov 2026).

The whole sky in 2026 →