* The new moon is when the moon is between the Earth and the Sun. This means the sunlit side of the moon is facing away from us.
* The new moon is essentially invisible. It's so close to the sun in the sky that it's lost in the glare.
While you can't see the new moon itself, you can tell when it's around because:
* The sky is darker. With no moonlight, the night sky appears much darker.
* The stars are more prominent. Without the moon's light, you can see more stars in the sky.
* You may see a thin crescent moon just after sunset or just before sunrise. This is because the moon is slightly out of alignment with the sun, allowing a tiny sliver of its illuminated side to be visible.
So, while the new moon isn't visible, its absence is noticeable!
