* The moon's illuminated side faces away from Earth: During a new moon, the moon is positioned between the Earth and the Sun. This means the Sun is illuminating the side of the moon that is facing away from Earth, leaving the side facing us in darkness.
* The moon is near the Sun in the sky: The new moon is close to the Sun in the sky, making it hard to see against the bright glare. It often rises and sets around the same time as the Sun.
Sometimes, you might think you're seeing a new moon, but it's actually a very thin crescent moon. This happens because a sliver of the moon's illuminated side can be visible just before sunrise or just after sunset, when the Sun is low on the horizon. However, this is still a very faint and fleeting sight.
In summary: The new moon is difficult to see because it's unlit from our perspective and is very close to the Sun in the sky.
