Page 29 - The Gluckman Occasional Number Ten

2. New Moons: Named at Last!

Full moons are replete with mystical, seasonal and nonsensical
nomenclature; new moons have none. To rectify that situation, Uncle
JG has registered the following informal lunar epithets with the
International Bureau of Satellite Phase Names:

Spring

Vacuous moon: you’re blank—just when we need you!
Liminal moon: maybe we see your silvery sliver…or maybe not.
Lurking moon: it’s time to show up; are you behind a cloud?

Summer

Peek-a-boo moon: are you playing games with us? Come on!
Selfish moon: you’re not very bright, but we want to see you.
Cheshire cat moon: you’re grinning at us, aren’t you?

Autumn
Voided moon: okay, you were wiped out: but you can recover!
Skimping moon: is that all you’ve got? Let’s have a little more!
Occult moon: there’s a lot you’re hiding from us. Not fair.

Winter
Blotted moon: you’re dark! Don’t blame us: it’s not an eclipse.
Cryptic moon: this is in a secret code, right? We’re not fooled.
Born-again moon: our faith is rewarded! You’re coming back.

The astute will object to limiting this list to twelve lunations. Lunar
calendars annually fall short of solar calendars by eleven days. Their
months sensibly are not linked to agricultural or meteorological
cycles. Lunisolar calendars, however, attempt to maintain months of
29.5 with years of 365.25 days: they need to intercalate time periods
to keep in sync with nature. That is accomplished with leap days or
leap months. If a thirteenth new moon occurs with a solar year, it,
too, can be given a name:

Spiteful moon: upset because you’re rarely invited? Sorry.