See the Youngest Moon of Your Life Tonight

universetoday.com ^ | January 1, 2014 | Bob King on

[BenLurkin]

New moon occurred at 5:14 a.m. (CST) today. For the U.S. Midwest that makes the moon approximately 12 hours old at sunset this evening. Since the moon moves to the east or away from the sun at the rate of one moon-diameter per hour, skywatchers in the western U.S. will have it somewhat easier shot at seeing it. In Denver, the moon will be 13 hours old, while in San Francisco it will have aged to 14 hours. Hawaii residents will have their shot at a 16-hour-old moon, still very young but farther yet from the sun and easier to see. To know exactly when the sun and moon set for your city, click HERE.

Luckily you’ll have more than just the sunset point to help know in which direction to look; Venus, itself a very thin crescent moon at the moment, hovers 7-8 degrees to the upper left of the moon. You should have no problem seeing a crescent Venus in binoculars.

[Verginius Rufus]

Maybe 25 years ago there was an article in Sky & Telescope about observers trying to break the record on seeing the newest new moon. I think the best anyone had done by that time was 17 hours after the astronomical new moon. I don't know if anyone has done better than that--but the 17 hours was achieved under exceptionally favorable conditions, so I doubt anyone can see the moon only 12 hours after astronomical new moon.