2016 New Moons: Calendar of 13 new moons
The New Moons 2016 Calendar had 13 new moons, 2 new supermoons, and 2 solar eclipses. Below is an overview of the dates to help you look back at the past.
A new moon is the first lunar phase that happens about once a month or, 29.53 days on average. The moon itself is not visible though you may be able to “see” it because it blocks the visibility of the stars behind it.
Typically there are 12 new moons each year, and 2016 had an additional new moon compared to the usual pattern of other years.
The dates and times provided by NASA in United States Eastern Time (ET) account for both Eastern Standard Time (EST) and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) for part of the year in the United States. Also below is the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) time. This was previously referred to as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Since your local time zone may be different, the exact dates may shift slightly for your calendar.
When were the 2016 New Moons?
In 2016 there were 13 new moons as there was a second new moon in September depending on your timezone. The dates of the new moons in 2016 were:
- January 9, 2016 (January 10 UTC)
- February 8, 2016
- March 8, 2016 (March 9 UTC)
- April 7, 2016
- May 6, 2016
- June 4, 2016 (June 5 UTC)
- July 4, 2016
- August 2, 2016
- September 1, 2016
- September 30, 2016 (October 1 UTC)
- October 30, 2016
- November 29, 2016
- December 29, 2016
2016 started off with its first new moon in early January setting up the year to have 13 new moons during the year. Here’s a quick summary of the dates of each of the new moons and how they fit into each season.
January 9, 2016 (January 10 UTC): New Moon in Capricorn
The first 2016 new moon was on Saturday January 9, 2016 at 8:30 PM EST or January 10, 2016 at 1:30 AM UTC. This was the first new moon of the Winter 2015-2016 season as the first new moon after the 2015 Winter Solstice.
The January 9th New Moon was the new moon in Capricorn 2016. It was called the New Wolf Moon as the start of the lunar cycle for the January 23rd Full Wolf Moon.
February 8, 2016: New Moon in Aquarius
The second new moon in 2016 was on Monday February 8, 2016 at 9:39 AM EST or 2:39 PM UTC. It was the second new moon of Winter 2015-2016 as the second new moon after the 2015 Winter Solstice.
The Feburary 8th New Moon was the new moon in Aquarius 2016. It was also called the New Snow Moon as the start of the moon cycle for the February 22nd Full Snow Moon.
March 8, 2016 (March 9 UTC): New Moon in Pisces
The third 2016 new moon was on Tuesday March 8, 2016 at 8:54 PM EST or March 9, 2016 at 1:54 AM UTC. It was the third and last new moon of Winter 2015-2016 as it occurred before the Spring Equniox.
The March 8th New Moon was the new moon in Pisces 2016. It was also called the New Worm Moon as the start of the lunar cycle for the March 23rd Full Worm Moon.
There was a total solar eclipse during the new moon with the peak 4 minutes after the peak of the new moon.
The Vernal Equinox (Spring) was on Sunday March 20, 2016 at 12:31 AM EDT or 6:03 PM UTC. The Spring Season had 3 new moons.
April 7, 2016: New Moon in Aries
The fourth new moon in 2016 was on Thursday April 7, 2016 at 7:24 AM EDT or 12:24 PM UTC. It was the first new moon of Spring as the first new moon after the Spring Equniox. The April New Moon was the first of 2 new supermoons for 2016.
The April 7th new moon was the new moon in Aries 2016. It was also called the New Pink Moon as the start of the lunar cycle for the April 22nd Full Pink Moon.
May 6, 2016: New Moon in Taurus
The fifth 2016 new moon was on Friday May 6, 2016 at 3:30 PM EDT or 8:30 PM UTC. It was the second new moon of Spring as the second new moon after the Spring Equniox. The May New Moon was the second of two new supermoons in 2016.
The May 6th new moon was the new moon in Taurus 2016. It was also called the New Flower Moon as the start of the lunar cycle for the May 21st Full Flower Moon.
June 4, 2016 (June 5 UTC): New Moon in Gemini
The sixth new moon of 2016 was on Saturday June 4, 2016 at 11:00 PM EDT or June 5, 2016 at 4:00 AM UTC. It was the last new moon of Spring as it occurred before the Summer Solstice.
The June 4th new moon was the new moon in Gemini 2016. It was also called the New Strawberry Moon as the start of the June 20th Full Strawberry Moon lunar cycle.
The Summer Solstice was on June 20, 2016 at 6:35 PM EDT or 11:35 PM UTC. It occurred after the June new moon and the Summer season had 3 new moons.
July 4, 2016: New Moon in Cancer
The seventh 2016 new moon was on Monday July 4, 2016 at 7:01 AM EDT or 12:01 PM UTC. It was the first new moon of Summer as the first new moon after the Summer Solstice.
The July 4th new moon was the new moon in Cancer 2016. It was also called the New Buck Moon as the start of the July 19th Full Buck Moon lunar cycle.
August 2, 2016: New Moon in Leo
The eighth new moon in 2016 was on Tuesday August 2, 2016 at 4:45 PM EDT or 9:45 PM UTC. It was the second new moon of Summer as the second new moon after the Summer Solstice.
The August 2nd new moon was the new moon in Leo 2016. It was also called the New Sturgeon Moon as the start of the August 18th Full Sturgeon Moon lunar cycle.
September 1, 2016: New Moon in Virgo
The ninth 2016 new moon was on Thursday September 1, 2016 at 5:03 AM EDT or 10:03 AM UTC. It was the third and last new moon of Summer as it occurred before the Autumnal Equniox.
The September 1st new moon was the new moon in Virgo 2016. It was also the called the New Harvest Moon as the start of the September 16th Full Harvest Moon lunar cycle.
There was an annular solar eclipse during the new moon with the peak 5 minutes after the peak of the new moon.
The Autumnal Equinox was on Thursday September 22, 2016 at 10:21 AM EDT or 3:21 PM UTC, after the first September New Moon. There were 3 new moons during Autumn 2016.
September 30, 2016 (October 1 UTC): New Moon in Libra
The tenth new moon in 2016 was on Friday September 30, 2016 at 8:12 PM EDT or October 1, 2016 at 1:12 AM UTC. It was the first new moon of Fall as the first new moon after the Autumnal Equinox.
The September 30th new moon was the new moon in Libra 2016. It was also called the New Hunter’s Moon as the start of the October 16th Full Hunter’s Moon lunar cycle.
Depending on your time zone, the tenth new moon occurred either as a black moon in September or the first new moon in October.
October 30, 2016: New Moon in Scorpio
The eleventh 2016 new moon was on Sunday October 30, 2016 at 12:38 PM EDT or 5:38 PM UTC. It was the second new moon of Fall as the second new moon after Autumnal Equinox.
The October 30th new moon was the new moon in Scorpio. It was called the New Beaver Moon as the start of the November 14th Full Beaver Moon lunar cycle.
Depending on your time zone, the eleventh new moon occurred either as a black moon in October or simply the new moon of October.
November 29, 2016: New Moon in Sagittarius
The twelfth new moon of 2016 was on Tuesday November 29, 2016 at 7:18 AM EST or 12:18 PM UTC. It was the third and last new moon of Autumn as it occurred before the Winter Solstice.
The November 29th new moon was the new moon in Sagittarius 2016. It was called the New Cold Moon as it was the start of the December 13th Full Cold Moon lunar cycle.
December 29, 2016: New Moon in Capricorn
The thirteenth and last 2016 new moon was on Thursday December 29, 2016 at 1:53 AM EST or 6:53 AM UTC. It was the first Winter New Moon as the first new moon after the Winter 2016-2017 Solstice.
The December 29th new moon was the new moon in Capricorn 2016-2017. It was called the New Wolf Moon as it was the start of the January 12th Full Wolf Moon 2017 lunar cycle.
The Winter Solstice was on Wednesday December 21, 2016 at 5:45 AM EST or 10:45 AM UTC. There were 3 new moons during the Winter 2016-2017 season.
What are the names of the 2016 new moons?
The names of the 2016 new moons were:
- January 9 (January 10 UTC): New Wolf Moon
- February 8: New Snow Moon
- March 8 (March 9 UTC): New Worm Moon
- April 7: New Pink Moon
- May 6: New Flower Moon
- June 4: New Strawberry Moon
- July 4: New Buck Moon
- August 2: New Sturgeon Moon
- September 1: New Harvest Moon
- September 30 (October 1 UTC): New Hunter’s Moon
- October 30: New Beaver Moon
- November 29: New Cold Moon
- December 29: New Wolf Moon
For most of 2016, the new moon and full moon for a lunar cycle occurred in the same month, creating a name match.
The first September new moon is called the New Harvest Moon because the September Full Moon was closer to the Autumn Equinox than the October Full Moon.
What are the signs of the 2016 new moons?
The Zodiac signs of the 2016 new moons were:
- January 9 (January 10 UTC): Capricorn
- February 8: Aquarius
- March 8 (March 9 UTC): Pisces
- April 7: Aries
- May 6: Taurus
- June 4: Gemini
- July 4: Cancer
- August 2: Leo
- September 1: Virgo
- September 30 (October 1 UTC): Libra
- October 30: Scorpio
- November 29: Sagittarius
- December 29: Capricorn
The calendar aligned such that the year started and ended with new moons in Capricorn, in different years.
Was there a black moon in 2016?
Yes there was a black moon in 2016. Depending on your time zone, either September or October had 2 new moons
There are four potential definitions for a black moon, though all unofficial. As a result, it’s not rare to have a black moon in a year. It’s not possible to have all four in one year.
- A month with two new moons
- A month without a full moon, only a new moon
- A month without a new moon, only a full moon
- A season with four new moons, making the third a seasonal black moon
Because February has either 28 or 29 days, it’s the only calendar month that may not have both a new moon and a full moon in a given year.
New Moons By Season
Even though there were 13 new moons during 2016, each season had 3 new moons based on how the schedule worked out.
2016 Equinoxes and Solstices
The 2016 dates for the equinoxes and solstices were:
- Vernal Equinox (Spring): March 20, 2016 at 12:31 AM EDT or 6:03 PM UTC
- Summer Solstice: June 20, 2016 at 6:35 PM EDT or 11:35 PM UTC
- Autumnal Equinox: September 22, 2016 at 10:21 AM EDT or 3:21 PM UTC
- Winter Solstice: December 21, 2016 at 5:45 AM EST or 10:45 AM UTC
Spring 2016 New Moons
The spring season had 3 new moons with the first in April.
The first new moon after Spring Equinox 2016 was on Thursday April 7, 2016 at 7:24 AM EDT or 12:24 PM UTC. The first new moon of spring was also called the New Pink Moon and was the new moon in Aries.
The second new moon after the 2016 Spring Equinox was on Friday May 6, 2016 at 3:30 PM EDT or 8:30 PM UTC. The second Spring new moon was also called the New Flower Moon and was the new moon in Taurus.
The third new moon after the 2016 Spring Equinox was on Saturday June 4, 2016 at 11:00 PM EDT or June 5, 2016 at 4:00 AM UTC. The third and last Spring New Moon was called the New Strawberry Moon and was the new moon in Gemini.
Spring 2016 New Moons
Summer 2016 had 3 new moons with the first in June.
The first new moon after the Summer Solstice 2016 was on Monday July 4, 2016 at 7:01 AM EDT or 12:01 PM UTC. The first Summer New Moon was called the New Buck Moon and was the new moon in Cancer.
The second new moon after the 2016 Summer Solstice was on Tuesday August 2, 2016 at 4:45 PM EDT or 9:45 PM UTC. The second Summer New Moon was called the New Sturgeon Moon and was the new moon in Leo.
The third new moon after the 2016 Summer Solstice was on Thursday September 1, 2016 at 5:03 AM EDT or 10:03 AM UTC. The third and last Summer New Moon was called the New Harvest Moon and was the new moon in Virgo.
Autumn 2016 New Moons
Autumn had 3 new moons with the first in September.
The first new moon after the Autumnal Equinox 2016 was on Friday September 30, 2016 at 8:12 PM EDT or October 1, 2016 at 1:12 AM UTC. The first Autumn New Moon was called the New Hunter’s Moon and was the new moon in Libra.
The second new moon after the Autumnal Equinox 2016 was on Sunday October 30, 2016 at 12:38 PM EDT or 5:38 PM UTC. The second Autumn New Moon was called the New Beaver Moon and was the new moon in Scorpio.
The third new moon after the 2016 Autumnal Equinox was on Tuesday November 29, 2016 at 7:18 AM EST or 12:18 PM UTC. The third Autumn New Moon was called the New Cold Moon and was the new moon in Sagittarius.
Winter 2016-2017 New Moons
Winter had three new moons with the first in December after the Winter Solstice. And the rest of the new moons were in 2017.
The first new moon after the Winter Solstice 2016 was on Thursday December 29, 2016 at 1:53 AM EST or 6:53 AM UTC. The first Winter New Moon was be called the New Wolf Moon and was the new moon in Capricorn.
The second new moon after the 2016 Winter Solstice was on Friday January 27, 2017 at 7:07 PM EST or January 28, 2017 at 12:07 AM UTC. The second Winter New Moon was called the New Snow Moon and was the new moon in Aquarius.
The third new moon after the 2016 Winter Solstice was on Sunday February 26, 2017 at 9:58 AM EST or 2:58 PM UTC. The third Winter New Moon was called the New Worm Moon and was the new moon in Pisces.
2016 Moon Phases in Eastern Time (ET) and UTC
Below are the lunar phases for 2016 including the new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter that were on the schedule for each month. The date and times are based on both the United States Eastern Time Zone and UTC, adjusted for daylight saving time.
| Lunar Phase | Date & Time (US Eastern) | UTC Date & Time |
|---|---|---|
| January Last Quarter | January 2, 2016 12:30 AM EST | January 2, 2016 5:30 AM UTC |
| January New Moon | January 9, 2016 8:30 PM EST | January 10, 2016 1:30 AM UTC |
| January First Quarter | January 16, 2016 6:26 PM EST | January 16, 2016 11:26 PM UTC |
| January Full Moon | January 23, 2016 8:46 PM EST | January 24, 2016 1:46 AM UTC |
| January Last Quarter | January 31, 2016 10:28 PM EST | February 1, 2016 3:28 AM UTC |
| February New Moon | February 8, 2016 9:39 AM EST | February 8, 2016 2:39 PM UTC |
| February First Quarter | February 15, 2016 2:46 AM EST | February 15, 2016 7:46 AM UTC |
| February Full Moon | February 22, 2016 1:20 PM EST | February 22, 2016 6:20 PM UTC |
| March Last Quarter | March 1, 2016 6:11 PM EST | March 1, 2016 11:11 PM UTC |
| March New Moon | March 8, 2016 8:54 PM EST | March 9, 2016 1:54 AM UTC |
| March First Quarter | March 15, 2016 1:03 PM EDT | March 15, 2016 6:03 PM UTC |
| March Full Moon | March 23, 2016 8:01 AM EDT | March 23, 2016 1:01 PM UTC |
| March Last Quarter | March 31, 2016 11:17 AM EDT | March 31, 2016 4:17 PM UTC |
| April New Moon | April 7, 2016 7:24 AM EDT | April 7, 2016 12:24 PM UTC |
| April First Quarter | April 13, 2016 11:59 PM EDT | April 14, 2016 4:59 AM UTC |
| April Full Moon | April 22, 2016 1:24 AM EDT | April 22, 2016 6:24 AM UTC |
| April Last Quarter | April 29, 2016 11:29 PM EDT | April 30, 2016 4:29 AM UTC |
| May New Moon | May 6, 2016 3:30 PM EDT | May 6, 2016 8:30 PM UTC |
| May First Quarter | May 13, 2016 1:02 PM EDT | May 13, 2016 6:02 PM UTC |
| May Full Moon | May 21, 2016 5:15 PM EDT | May 21, 2016 10:15 PM UTC |
| May Last Quarter | May 29, 2016 8:12 AM EDT | May 29, 2016 1:12 PM UTC |
| June New Moon | June 4, 2016 11:00 PM EDT | June 5, 2016 4:00 AM UTC |
| June First Quarter | June 12, 2016 4:10 AM EDT | June 12, 2016 9:10 AM UTC |
| June Full Moon | June 20, 2016 7:02 AM EDT | June 20, 2016 12:02 PM UTC |
| June Last Quarter | June 27, 2016 2:19 PM EDT | June 27, 2016 7:19 PM UTC |
| July New Moon | July 4, 2016 7:01 AM EDT | July 4, 2016 12:01 PM UTC |
| July First Quarter | July 11, 2016 8:52 PM EDT | July 12, 2016 1:52 AM UTC |
| July Full Moon | July 19, 2016 6:57 PM EDT | July 19, 2016 11:57 PM UTC |
| July Last Quarter | July 26, 2016 7:00 PM EDT | July 27, 2016 12:00 AM UTC |
| August New Moon | August 2, 2016 4:45 PM EDT | August 2, 2016 9:45 PM UTC |
| August First Quarter | August 10, 2016 2:21 PM EDT | August 10, 2016 7:21 PM UTC |
| August Full Moon | August 18, 2016 5:27 AM EDT | August 18, 2016 10:27 AM UTC |
| August Last Quarter | August 24, 2016 11:41 PM EDT | August 25, 2016 4:41 AM UTC |
| September New Moon | September 1, 2016 5:03 AM EDT | September 1, 2016 10:03 AM UTC |
| September First Quarter | September 9, 2016 7:49 AM EDT | September 9, 2016 12:49 PM UTC |
| September Full Moon | September 16, 2016 3:05 PM EDT | September 16, 2016 8:05 PM UTC |
| September Last Quarter | September 23, 2016 5:56 AM EDT | September 23, 2016 10:56 AM UTC |
| September New Moon | September 30, 2016 8:12 PM EDT | October 1, 2016 1:12 AM UTC |
| October First Quarter | October 9, 2016 12:33 AM EDT | October 9, 2016 5:33 AM UTC |
| October Full Moon | October 16, 2016 12:23 AM EDT | October 16, 2016 5:23 AM UTC |
| October Last Quarter | October 22, 2016 3:14 PM EDT | October 22, 2016 8:14 PM UTC |
| October New Moon | October 30, 2016 12:38 PM EDT | October 30, 2016 5:38 PM UTC |
| November First Quarter | November 7, 2016 2:51 PM EST | November 7, 2016 7:51 PM UTC |
| November Full Moon | November 14, 2016 8:52 AM EST | November 14, 2016 1:52 PM UTC |
| November Last Quarter | November 21, 2016 3:33 AM EST | November 21, 2016 8:33 AM UTC |
| November New Moon | November 29, 2016 7:18 AM EST | November 29, 2016 12:18 PM UTC |
| December First Quarter | December 7, 2016 4:03 AM EST | December 7, 2016 9:03 AM UTC |
| December Full Moon | December 13, 2016 7:05 PM EST | December 14, 2016 12:05 AM UTC |
| December Last Quarter | December 20, 2016 8:56 PM EST | December 21, 2016 1:56 AM UTC |
| December New Moon | December 29, 2016 1:53 AM EST | December 29, 2016 6:53 AM UTC |
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few frequently asked questions about the 2016 New Moon Calendar to help you look back the year.
There were 13 new moons in 2016 with most months having one new moon each month of the year. There was a black moon in 2016 with two new moons in either September or October depending on your time zone.
