March 18-21, 2026: A thin crescent moon appears low in the western sky after sunset, revealing earthshine — the softly lit “Old Moon in the New Moon’s Arms.”
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
The next lunation (1277) begins at the New Moon on March 18 at 8:23 p.m. Central Time. The current lunation count began in 1923.
Old Moon in the New Moon’s Arms
At this season, the ecliptic is highly inclined to the western horizon after sunset. The horns, or cusps, of an evening crescent moon nearly point upward at the mid-northern latitudes of North America and Europe, resembling a boat. Others see one human arm folded across the other.
At this season, the folded arms of the crescent moon appear to be holding the old moon. The appearance is sometimes called “The Old Moon in the New Moon’s Arms.”
Earthshine
Earthshine on the moon — sunlight reflected by Earth’s oceans, clouds, and land — gently lights the lunar night, revealing the faintly visible old moon from the previous lunar cycle. This dim glow allows sky watchers to see the remainder of the lunar globe.
Photograph this crescent moon and earthshine with a tripod-mounted camera or a steady camera phone. Use exposures of up to several seconds to capture the softly lit lunar night.
What to See in the Evening Sky
• March 18: New Moon, 8:23 p.m. Central Time (not visible).
• March 19: At 35 minutes after sunset, a thin crescent moon, 1% illuminated, is 5° above the western horizon, 6.6° to the lower right of Venus. The moon and Venus fit into the same binocular field of view.
• March 20: On the evening of the equinox, at 45 minutes after sunset, the Old Moon in the New Moon’s Arms is 15° up in the west, 8.8° to Venus’ upper left.
• March 21: This evening the crescent moon, 11% illuminated, is nearly 30° above the western horizon and over 20° above brilliant Venus.
Look for the thin crescent in the western evening sky, where the delicate arc appears to hold the old moon within its arms.
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