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The Da Vinci Code vocabulary
1 astronomy terms
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new moon
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tags: [astronomy]
► definition
Definition:the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the unaided eye, except when silhouetted during a solar eclipse. Daylight outshines the earthlight that dimly illuminates the dark side of the new Moon. The actual phase is usually a very thin crescent because the Moon rarely passes directly in front of the Sun, except in a solar eclipse.[...]In non-astronomical contexts, new moon refers to the first visible crescent of the Moon, after conjunction with the Sun.text from Wiktionary, licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike
animation: by Tomruen, CC0
► uses
Uses:
In the distant night the wolves howled the first thin sliver of the new moon
Robert Jordon. The Eye of the World (1990)
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a pair of whitish crescent-shaped horns like two particularly new moons,
Thomas Hardy. Far from the Madding Crowd (1874)
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In Devonshire it is lucky to see the new moon over the right, but unlucky to see it over the left shoulder; and to see it straight before is good fortune to the end of the month.
Timothy Harley. Moon Lore (1885)
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He said he druther see the new moon over his left shoulder as much as a thousand times than take up a snake-skin in his hand.
Mark Twain. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
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I rather suspected that a classic brooch she wore, representing the profile of an undesirable female with a very straight nose and a very new moon, was a piece of portable property that had been given her by Wemmick.
Charles Dickens. Great Expectations (1861)
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