When is a new moon at its zenith?

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Dive into the AST2002 Astronomy Midterm at UCF. Enhance your understanding through engaging flashcards and insightful multiple-choice questions. Prepare effectively and boost your confidence for this academic challenge!

A new moon is a phase that occurs when the Moon is positioned directly between the Earth and the Sun, which means that the side of the Moon that is illuminated by the Sun is facing away from the Earth. As a result, during a new moon, the Moon is not visible in the night sky.

When considering the zenith position of the moon, we recognize that this occurs when the Moon is highest in the sky at a specific time of day. For most locations on Earth, the zenith for any celestial object typically occurs around solar noon, which is close to when the Sun reaches its highest point. Since the new moon aligns with the Sun, the new moon will also be at its highest point (zenith) around the same time the Sun is in the sky, which is approximately at 12 PM or solar noon.

Thus, the reasoning aligns well with the understanding of celestial movements and phases of the moon, making the selection of noon as the time when a new moon is at its zenith appropriate.