When Is Chinese New Year?

I get asked lots of questions as the "pub astronomer"! So I worked it out and found out that this year it is on 7 February.

The Chinese based their Calendar on the second brightest object in the sky - The Moon. They use Lunar months - approx. 30 days.

As winter comes, the Sun rises and sets, further South each day, until you get to the Winter Solstice. After that, the sun rises and sets, further North each day. You can follow this with 2 garden canes as sighting poles.

In the Chinese system, you determine over 3 lunar months,

1) The month that the sun always goes South.
2) The month that the sun changes direction.
3) The month that the sun always goes North.

The next New Moon is the first day of the New Year. The Chinese call this the first day of the Spring Festival which ends with the "Lantern Festival" 15 days later.

On the first day, the moon will only be a sliver and it would be very dark at night.

The Lantern Festival will always be on a Full Moon.

The picture above is of a Chinese Lion which kicks a lettuce around South Yorkshire at Chinese New Year but that is another story!