What is Black Moon and why are people saying it signals the end of the world?

A celestial phenomenon called black moon that will occur at different times depending on your location will cause the skies to go dark tonight. Ominous conspiracy theorists, however, are capitulating on the event to make apocalyptic predictions to spook people. If they are true, they claim the light of human civilisation will go dark soon afterwards.

Various conspiracy theories are doing the rounds online. Ranging from association with the Jewish festival called The Feast of Trumpets to a YouTube vloggers account that said the black moon was linked to Hecate, Queen of the Underworld and Greek goddess of the moon, witchcraft and ghosts, the internet is rife with these doomsday nut jobs.

"She comes to Earth every 200 years to find an innocent man from a well born family and puts him under her spell in order to create a demonic spawn," said the vlogger while adding that "This demon baby would then wreak havoc on the planet."

While we are at it, why not add some prophetic biblical verses to the mix? Luke 21:25-26 for instance says: "There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and looking after those things which are coming on the earth."

However, for the sceptical rationalist yearning for answers, the black moon occurs when the moon is illuminated by Earth's shadow, making it almost impossible to see the moon in the night sky. As a Black Moon only ever occurs when there are two new moons in the same month, the unusual phenomenon only appears every 32 months.

This week, it can be observed in the skies of the Western Hemisphere. In the UK, it can be seen at around 1.10am on Saturday morning, whereas it will reach its peak in the US at around 8pm on Friday.