When you hear black moon, it sounds dramatic and almost apocalyptic. But as radio astronomer Dr. Laura Driessen explains, it’s not the end of the world. In fact, it’s a chance to see the stars more clearly.

What Exactly Is a Black Moon?

Dr. Driessen, from the University of Sydney, explains. She began by comparing it to a familiar phrase: “You’ve probably heard about blue moons before, especially the saying once in a blue moon,”she said.

A blue moon happens when there are two full moons in one month, or an extra full moon in a season. “A black moon is the same idea, except it’s a new moon instead of a full moon,” Dr. Driessen explained.

What Is a New Moon?

Many people get confused about new moons. Unlike a full moon, where the sun lights up the side we see, the new moon is dark. “The moon looks black because the far side is lit by the sun, not the side facing us,” Dr. Driessen said. In simple terms: during a new moon, the moon sits between Earth and the sun. We can’t see it at night.

So Can We See the Black Moon?

Not really. “The new moon is up during the day, rising at 6:30 a.m. and setting at 5:30 p.m.,” Dr. Driessen explained. That means the black moon itself is invisible. But that’s actually good news for stargazers. With no moonlight, the night sky appears brighter.

Perfect Conditions for Stargazing

The black moon most recently happened on in August this year. While you won’t have seen the moon itself, the stars and planets were stunning.

A Modern Name for an Ancient Moon

Interestingly, the term black moon isn’t ancient.

“Blue moon, as we use it today, is less than a hundred years old. The idea of a black moon was only traced back to 2016,” Dr. Driessen revealed.

So while the name may be new, the moon itself hasn’t changed.

Article supplied with thanks to Sonshine.

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Pastor Phil Ayres, from Kingdomcity Church, believes that even separated couples can find a way forward. He offers some practical steps for those standing at the edge of a broken relationship.

Communication Breakdown

“Communication is the number one reason relationships break down,” Phil says. Misunderstandings, constant conflict, or feeling unheard can fracture the strongest bonds.

This breakdown, he adds, can lead to bigger issues like infidelity or even domestic violence. “One in four women experiences domestic violence,” he says. “That’s not just a government issue. It’s a community issue.”

The Big Four

Phil outlines four major stressors in marriage:

• Communication problems
• Financial pressure
• In-law interference
• Parenting conflict

“These are the areas where couples get stuck,” he explains. “But knowing them is the first step to overcoming them.”

If You’ve Separated, But Still Have Hope

So what if you’re separated but still want to make it work? “There’s hope,” Phil says. “It’s not too late.” He shares four key principles to help couples reconnect.

1. Don’t Push

“When you break up, don’t push,” Phil says. That means no begging, pleading, or guilt-tripping. These actions create negative emotional memories. Instead, “Take charge of your emotional anxiety. Be calm and respectful.”

2. Start to Pull

The second step is about drawing each other closer. “Work on the physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual areas of your life,” Phil advises.

He encourages people not to focus on their spouse’s lack of effort. “Take ownership of your own growth. Don’t benchmark their commitment.”

3. Rebuild Trust and Safety

“Just because someone says they’re doing the right thing doesn’t mean trust is restored,” he warns. True rebuilding takes time, consistency, and integrity.

Respect boundaries. “If your partner has set boundaries during separation, honour them,” Phil says. “If you can’t do that now, you won’t be able to do it later.”

4. Wait With Purpose

Even if your spouse isn’t on the same page, it’s still worth doing the work. “I’ve been there,” Phil shares. “I’ve looked down the barrel of a relationship that felt over.”

But he says God did a miracle. “I’ve seen other couples get back together too some after months, even years.”

It’s Not Wasted

“Even working on yourself is not a waste,” Phil says. “There’s hope. Hold on to it. Believe in God.”

So if you’re feeling lost or like your marriage is beyond repair, take heart. With humility, patience, and a willingness to grow, there’s still a path forward.

Article supplied with thanks to Sonshine.

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Australia made space history last last month when a homemade rocket launched into the sky, only to come crashing back down seconds later.

But don’t call it a failure. In the world of space exploration, even a short flight can mean a giant leap.

At the same time, astronomers have solved a century-old mystery about one of the night sky’s brightest stars. It turns out, Betelgeuse is not alone.

Matt Woods, from Perth Observatory, breaks it all down.

A Rocket, A Crash, and a Big Win for Australia

Gilmore Space Technologies became the first Australian company to launch a locally built rocket. Called Ares, the test flight on July 30 marked a major milestone in our space journey.

The rocket lifted off and hovered for 14 seconds before its engines failed. It then plummeted back to Earth and exploded.

Sounds disappointing? Actually, it’s pretty normal.

“Even SpaceX had multiple rockets blow up before one finally worked,” Matt explained. “Failure is part of the process.”

In fact, SpaceX’s Falcon 1 failed four times. On the fifth and final attempt, when their funding was nearly gone, it finally flew. That success made way for the Falcon 9, now a staple of commercial spaceflight.

What Went Wrong?

The Gilmore team suspects a power failure, but the investigation is ongoing. Interestingly, it took 18 months to get approval for the launch, quick, by government standards.

Still, this wasn’t just about the rocket. It was about proving Australia can build and launch its own spacecraft. That’s a huge step for our sovereign space capabilities.

Why Is Australia Launching Rockets?

Ares was aiming for the low-Earth orbit market, think satellites and short missions, not moon landings. This was a suborbital test, designed to go up and come back down. It succeeded in that goal, just not as high as hoped.

And here’s the exciting part: Australia is actually a great place to launch rockets.

We’re close to the equator, have stable geology, and low political risk. That makes us ideal for spaceports. Add in growing public interest and investment, and we’re looking at a booming space industry.

The Star Called Betelgeuse

While rockets were blowing up on Earth, astronomers were solving a mystery in the sky.

Meet Betelgeuse, one of the brightest stars visible at night. For over 100 years, scientists believed it might have a companion star, but they could never prove it, until now.

Using the Gemini North Telescope in Hawaii, a NASA team finally spotted it. The companion star, newly named “Kelu”, sits right near Betelgeuse’s outer edge.

“It’s amazing they found it,” Matt said. “Especially with how close it orbits.”

The name Kelu means “her bracelet” in Arabic, keeping with Betelgeuse’s name, which translates to “the hand of the giant.” It’s a poetic nod to the tradition of naming celestial objects with meaning and care.

What Does a Companion Star Do?

In this case, not much, except confirm a century’s worth of suspicion.

Still, the discovery is important. It proves that ground-based telescopes using advanced techniques like speckle imaging can detect faint stars near bright ones. That’s a big deal for future space observation.

Is Betelgeuse Going to Explode?

Eventually, yes.

Betelgeuse is a red supergiant, which means it’s in the final stage of its life. It’s burned through its hydrogen and will soon run out of fuel entirely.

“Think of stars like cars,” Matt explained. “The bigger they are, the faster they burn through fuel.”

While small stars like red dwarfs live for billions of years, giants like Betelgeuse last only tens of millions. Once it runs out of energy, Betelgeuse will collapse and explode in a massive supernova.

Don’t worry, though. Astronomers estimate that won’t happen for at least another 100,000 years.

But when it does, we’ll see it. The explosion will be so bright, it could be visible from Earth in the daytime.

Space Is Closer Than You Think

From local rocket launches to ancient stars nearing their end, space isn’t just out there it’s happening now. Whether it’s a cocky chewing on a fuel line or scientists spotting a faint companion star, these stories show us just how active, surprising, and exciting space really is.

Article supplied with thanks to Sonshine.

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