Abstract
An Early Observation of the New Moon. The Cape Times of December 2 reports that the new moon of November 28 was seen with the naked eye in South Africa by Mr. A. W. Long and Capt. D. Cameron Swan 35 minutes after sunset, when its age was 17h3Im. This is almost a record for South Africa; it was just beaten one Metonic cycle earlier on November 28, 1913; the age of the moon was then 16h39m. Observations of this kind have chronological importance, as many ancient nations began their months with the first observation of the lunar crescent, and it is important to determine the shortest interval after new moon that they would be likely to see it. The position of the moon's node is of importance in this connexion, and it will be noted that the Metonic cycle nearly reproduces this position, since the node completes its circuit of the ecliptic in 18 years 7 months.
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