What phenomenon occurs when the dark night side of the new Moon is visible due to reflected Earthlight?

The phenomenon that occurs when the dark night side of the new Moon is visible due to reflected Earthlight is known as planetshine. This effect happens because sunlight reflects off the Earth’s surface and then illuminates the darkened part of the Moon. When the Moon is new, it is positioned between the Earth and the Sun, and thus the side facing Earth is not directly illuminated by sunlight. However, the Earth, with its blue oceans and white clouds, reflects light back toward the Moon, allowing us to see the faint outline of the Moon’s dark side.

This intriguing effect is not to be confused with other concepts such as impact craters, which are formed by the collision of meteoroids with the Moon’s surface, or the phases of the Moon, which refer to the various stages of illumination caused by the Moon’s orbit around Earth. An aurora, on the other hand, is a natural light display predominantly seen in high-latitude regions, caused by the interaction between the Earth's magnetic field and charged particles from the Sun. Planetshine highlights the interconnectedness of celestial bodies and how light can be reflected in the vastness of space.