New Moon Alternatives -- What other nights are as dark?

[drew4392]

Great forum, glad I found this!  Hoping I can ask a newbie question...

I usually wait for new moon to observe.  On a night other than new moon, if the moon has already set and hasn't risen, is it technically as dark as a new moon night??   To qualify as being as dark as new moon, does the moon have to be x-hours past setting or x-hours pre-rising (or some other measurement)?   

It would be great to enjoy nights with as much darkness as new moon nights, throughout the month. 

Thank you!!

[Knighty2112]

Depending on what you want to view you can observe when the moon is in the sky too. Worst yes when getting near full for galaxies and faint DSO’s, but fine for planetary work, double stars and even (dare I say it) lunar observations too! 

[Paul M]

I find anything from 3rd quarter, through new and up to 1st quarter to be best. 

Up to 1st qtr is usually set by mid or late evening. It won't throw much if any scatter over the horizon once set. Similar with 3rd Quarter, little effect until it rises and that won't be until mid-late evening so opportunities before or after Moon set.

A full moon can brighten the horizon while rising but the Sun will be only just setting anyway. 

So maybe 2 weeks out of every 4 should have some usable, Moon free darkness. Of course, with bright targets such as the planets, many star clusters  and double stars, the Moon isn't really a factor at any phase.

[DirkSteele]

When ever I plan holidays which will include some stargazing, I try to time them between 3rd quarter and 1st which maximises the hours of darkness and at the smaller phases it is less intrusive when in the sky.  However, in climates with less reliable weather, I will take what ever I can get, full Moon or not.  There are other targets which are less impacted by light pollution, natural or otherwise, such as double stars.

[SIDO]

On nights when the moon is tracking low I find if I can get the scope shaded from it's light targets to the north are better, I'm at 43° north...these nights are few but recognizing them when they occure can buy a few targets otherwise gone unseen. Full Moon or near full moon with even moderate light pollution then stick to bright open clusters, double stars, planetary, satellites, space stations, planes, bright comets/asteroids, meteors and of course the Moon ?

[drew4392]

Great feedback!  Thanks, everyone.  I'm keen on Milky Way, DSO, Galaxy viewing, hence my concern around darkness.  

Hearing from you that there are 2 weeks a month that are pretty much as dark as new moon is exciting!  

Just to confirm the "recipe" for identifying one of these darker nights, basically, is a Q3 to Q1 moon that is already set or not scheduled to rise a couple hours either way of observing time won't brighten up the horizon.  Is that about right? 

 

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[cletrac1922]

Welcome from Land Down Under

When observing the milky way, try and pick out the EMU

Look at the dark, not the light

Part of Australian Indigenous astronomy, and goes back 40,000

The head of the Emu is CRUX or known as Southern Cross

http://www.atnf.csiro.au/research/AboriginalAstronomy/Examples/emu.htm 

John

 

 

 

[Waddensky]

Yes, if the Sun over 18 degrees below the horizon and the Moon hasn't risen yet, it's essentially fully dark. The Moon will cause a kind of 'twilight' when it's about to rise, but this effect is negligible. Fortunately, as others have said here, there's a lot to observe even if the Moon is up: planets, double stars and the brighter open clusters, for example.