<Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article has an unclear citation style . The references used may be made clearer with a different or consistent style of citation and footnoting . (May 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> <P> In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude . At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the unaided eye, except when silhouetted during a solar eclipse . Daylight outshines the earthlight that dimly illuminates the dark side of the new Moon . The actual phase is usually a very thin crescent because the Moon rarely passes directly in front of the Sun, except in a solar eclipse . </P> <P> The original meaning of the term new moon, which is still sometimes used in non-astronomical contexts, was the first visible crescent of the Moon, after conjunction with the Sun . This crescent Moon is briefly visible when low above the western horizon shortly after sunset and before moonset . </P> <P> A lunation or synodic month is the average time from one new moon to the next . In the J2000. 0 epoch, the average length of a lunation is 29.530588 days (or 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 2.8 seconds). However, the length of any one synodic month can vary from 29.26 to 29.80 days due to the perturbing effects of the Sun's gravity on the Moon's eccentric orbit . In a lunar calendar, each month corresponds to a lunation . Each lunar cycle can be assigned a unique lunation number to identify it . </P>

How did the new moon get its name
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