The New Moon

tags: lunar cycle, moon, new moon

The Moon is the fastest moving of all the astrological bodies circling the earth. She makes a complete circle around the Earth every 28 days, and catches up with the Sun every 30 days.

When she catches up with the Sun, we don’t see her (except in the instance of an eclipse). Since she is (roughly) between the Earth and the Sun, she does not reflect the Sun’s light to the Earth.

The New Moon is the darkest phase of the Moon, but it also marks the beginning of the two-week period when the Moon moves away from the Sun and increases in light. This creates favorable conditions for us to increase in our lives, put our plans into motion, plant seeds.

Since ancient times, whether they were astrologically inclined or not, farmers and gardeners have planted crops by the Moon’s cycles. The waxing Moon (increasing from New to Full) is known as a good time to plant above-ground crops such as flowers or vegetables. Because the energy is increasing, the seeds absorb this energy, and grow large and healthy.

If we take this principle and apply it to our lives, the waxing Moon is a period to plant seeds, either by taking action to launch a new idea into reality, begin a new relationship, or just admit to yourself that you want to make a change. The important thing about the New Moon is that it’s a time to take first steps.

The New Moon is a powerful time to make wishes and start new projects. The sign that the Moon is in gives you information on what types of wishes and plans are especially important that month.

2007 New Moons

Date	USA Eastern time	Position
January 18, 2007	11:01 p.m.	Capricorn: schedules, structures, business, achievement, personal boundaries
February 17	11:14 a.m.	Aquarius : friendship, groups, humanitarian goals, innovative ideas, technology
March 18 Solar Eclipse	10:43 p.m.	Pisces: spirituality, psychic attunement, art, music
April 17	7:36 a.m.	Aries: new starts, exercise, sports
May 16	3:27 p.m.	Taurus: money, priorities, nature, gardening, art
June 14	11:13 p.m.	Gemini: letters, written projects, travel, machines
July 14	8:04 a.m.	Cancer: house and home, family, nurturing, cooking, nesting
August 12	7:02 p.m.	Leo: fun, romance, parties, gatherings, creativity, performance, pride
September 11 Solar Eclipse	8:44 a.m.	Virgo: work, employees, organizing, scheduling, health
October 11	1:01 a.m.	Libra: relationships, art, beauty, contracts
November 9	6:03 p.m.	Scorpio: sex, investments, taxes, insurance, wills and legacies
December 9	12:40 p.m.	Sagittarius: travel, education, adventure, gambling
January 8, 2008	6:37 a.m.	Capricorn: schedules, structures, business, achievement, personal boundaries

For some help making those wishes and planting those seeds, please take a look at Jan Spiller’s wonderful book, New Moon Astrology.

Comments:

1. Why don't we see a solar eclipse every new moon?? is it because it is not always near a node????
   
   — Ejikeme Nwagboso    8 July 2005    #
2. That's right. The Moon orbits the earth at a tilt, and when it is at one of its nodes, it is on the same plane as the earth and the sun...so if it also happens to be in it's new phase (between the sun and the earth) and at a node... we will also get a solar eclipse. Even then, whether or not we see it depends on the distance of the Moon from the Earth at the time of the eclipse.
   
   — imkazaam    8 July 2005    #

3. Do you have the dates and times for 2006 yet? Thanks...

   
   
   — vanilla    13 January 2006    #

4. Hi Molly -- I noticed that you noted Jan Spiller's book, New Moon Astrology -- isnt she amazing!

   I was just wondering if you do the New Moon Wishes like Jan suggests? Do you believe that is true, about writing down your wishes under the New Moon? Have you tried this yet?

   
   
   — Riley Baker    3 February 2006    #

5. Hi Riley--
   Yes, I have done the New Moon wishes. Not every month, like I should, but many of them. And I do believe it works.

   
   
   — Molly    3 February 2006    #

6. Hi Molly,

   I just wanted to remind you to update the new moon dates for 2007.

   Thanks for all you do.

   
   
   — Michael    28 December 2006    #

7. Thanks for the reminder, Michael! I have updated the dates for 2007.

   
   
   — Molly    28 December 2006    #

8. Hi Molly,

   Thanks for the great tutorials. To help those new to your site, could you update the title for New Moons on this page from “2006” to “2007”?

   Thanks.

   
   
   — Julie    1 April 2007    #