A 'black moon' is set to be visible in our skies come Friday 22 August, though many have been spooked by the prophecy behind it. The rare astronomical event only comes around every few years, but despite this occurrence, people have started to speculate about what this may mean for humanity.

A rare black moon is set to occur this week, though night sky observers will not be able to see it. The astral phenomenon is set to leave a moon-sized dark spot in the heavenly panorama on the night of Saturday, Aug. 23.

Some people have taken to social media, citing apocalyptic references tied to a moonless sky.  With the moon’s brightness out of the equation, constellations like Orion, Leo, and Taurus will be more prominent.

A seasonal black moon, to appear on August 22 or 23, is the third of four new moons within an astronomical season

On Aug. 23, the moon will reach its new moon phase, and this one is special. It's a seasonal black moon, a rare event that occurs about once every 23 months. The next one won't arrive until Aug. 20, 2028, according to timeanddate.com.