Black Moon 2025: Spiritual Significance, When Will It Rise And Can You Actually See It?

Later this month, an unusual lunar event known as the Black Moon will take place, attracting attention from both astronomers and spiritual communities. The event falls on 23 August 2025 and is classed under the rare 'seasonal' definition of the phenomenon.

Despite its dramatic name, the Black Moon will not appear in the night sky. Its significance lies instead in its rarity and the meanings attached to it by cultural and spiritual traditions.

What Is the Black Moon?

The term 'Black Moon' is not an official astronomical designation but has entered popular usage. It usually refers to one of two situations, according to the BBC. The first is when two new moons fall in a single calendar month, which happens about once every 29 months. The second, called a seasonal Black Moon, occurs when there are four new moons in a single astronomical season.

The August 2025 event fits the seasonal definition. The northern hemisphere's summer began with new moons on 25 June and 24 July. The third will occur on 23 August, followed by another on 21 September, making it the rare case of four new moons in one season, Space.com reported.

When Will It Happen?

The Black Moon takes place at 06:06 UTC on 23 August 2025. That equates to 01:06 CDT in Houston and late evening on 22 August for parts of western North America, EarthSky reported. In the UK, it occurs at 07:06 BST, meaning the moment passes during daylight.

As a result, observers in Britain and elsewhere will not see the event directly.

Can It Be Seen?

Like any new moon, a Black Moon is not visible from Earth. At this phase the Moon lies between Earth and the Sun, with its illuminated side turned away. It rises and sets alongside the Sun, leaving no visible trace in the sky.

The absence of moonlight does, however, create unusually dark conditions. This year the timing coincides with the Perseid meteor shower, which peaks around 24 August. The darker skies may give stargazers in the UK a better chance of spotting faint streaks of light from the meteors, Chron reported.

Spiritual Significance

Beyond astronomy, the Black Moon carries symbolic weight in several spiritual traditions, particularly Paganism and Wicca, according to the Pagan Grimoire. The darkness of the new moon is seen as a powerful time for rituals connected to cleansing, transformation and renewal.

Astrological writers note that the August Black Moon falls under Virgo, which some practitioners associate with themes of purification and intention setting. It is viewed as an opportunity for reflection and the planting of new ideas or goals.

Some traditions also link the Black Moon to rituals devoted to the goddess Hekate, such as the Deipnon, a ceremony involving offerings and purification at crossroads before the new lunar cycle begins.

A Rare Alignment

The Black Moon of 2025 is a seasonal new moon: the third of four within one summer. Occurring at 06:06 UTC on 23 August, it will not be visible in the sky, but it will create one of the darkest nights of the year. That darkness may help highlight meteor activity for skywatchers.

For spiritual practitioners, it provides a symbolic alignment regarded as suitable for release and renewal. For astronomers, it is a reminder of the cyclical nature of the Moon and the rhythms of the sky.

The Black Moon highlights how celestial events can carry meaning both scientific and cultural, offering a moment that bridges observation, belief and tradition.