NASA captures image of new moon during supermoon event

In the United States, on May 26, 2025, a new moon marked a significant event in the lunar cycle. This particular new moon is noted for being the third-closest of the year, with the moon reaching a distance of 223,720 miles from Earth. This event characterized as a supermoon, occurs when the moon's orbit is at perigee, its closest point to Earth. At precisely 10:02 p.m. EDT, the moon was entirely invisible from Earth due to its alignment between the Earth and the sun. Interestingly, NASA's PUNCH mission successfully captured an image of the new moon despite it being obscured by the sun's glare. This unique imaging was possible due to the phenomenon known as Earthshine, where sunlight reflects off the Earth's surface and illuminates the moon faintly. The PUNCH mission, which launched on March 11, 2025, aims to investigate the sun's corona and its influence on space weather, making this discovery a notable achievement for aerospace research. On May 27, 2025, a young crescent moon could be spotted hanging near Jupiter shortly after sunset, marking the beginning of visible lunar phases after the new moon. Observers in the Northern Hemisphere were encouraged to look northwest for this delicate crescent, indicating the culmination of several celestial events scheduled during the week of May 26-June 1, 2025. Astronomers and stargazers were excited about the waxing crescent moon's proximity to notable celestial bodies like Jupiter and Mars in the sky, allowing for optimal viewing conditions. As the week progresses towards June 1, the moon becomes increasingly illuminated, revealing a 39%-lit crescent that will be visible alongside Regulus, a bright star in the western sky. This series of celestial occurrences invites both amateur and professional astronomers alike to explore the night sky under perfect stargazing conditions, with no moonlight during the new moon phase enabling clear visibility of stars and other cosmic phenomena. The expected full strawberry moon later in June would continue to draw attention from the astronomical community and the public alike.