July’s Buck Moon Kicks Off a Season of Supermoons in 2023
Skywatchers are in for a treat tonight as July’s full moon, also known as the Buck Moon, rises as a supermoon. This rare event occurs when the moon is closer to Earth during its full phase, resulting in a larger and brighter lunar disk.
The Buck Moon of 2023 is even more exciting as it marks the beginning of a season of four consecutive supermoons. These celestial events can lead to a 30% increase in brightness and a 14% expansion of the lunar disk as seen from Earth. However, these differences are usually not noticeable to the naked eye unless one closely observes the moon every night.
Renowned astrophysicist Fred Espenak explains that during the Buck Moon, the moon will be just 224,895 miles from Earth, compared to its average distance of around 238,000 miles. This proximity is what creates the supermoon phenomenon.
Supermoons occur due to the elliptical nature of the moon’s orbit around Earth. The moon’s path is not a perfect circle, but rather an elongated shape, with times when it is closer and times when it is further away from our planet. A supermoon occurs when the moon’s perigee, the closest point in its orbit to Earth, coincides with the full moon phase.
In the Sky from New York reports that July’s Full Buck Moon will rise at 7:10 p.m. EDT on Monday, July 3, and set at 4:33 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, July 4.
Following the Buck Moon, August will bring two more supermoons. The Full Sturgeon Moon will rise on Tuesday, August 1, with a distance of 222,158 miles from Earth. Later in the month, on August 30, skywatchers can witness the Blue Moon, which will be the closest supermoon of the “supermoon summer” period, at just 222,043 miles away.
The festival of supermoons will conclude with September’s Full Corn Moon on September 28, when the moon will be 224,657 miles from Earth. This will also mark the final supermoon of 2023, with the next occurrence scheduled for September 18, 2024.
If you’re interested in observing these supermoons, consider using the best telescopes or binoculars available. And for those interested in capturing the beauty of the moon and the night sky through photography, check out guides on photographing the moon, as well as recommendations for the best cameras and lenses for astrophotography.
If you manage to capture an image of July’s Full Buck Moon, you can share it with Space.com’s readers by sending your photo, comments, name, and location to [email protected].
Don’t miss this incredible celestial event, as supermoons give us a chance to appreciate the moon’s magnificence from a new perspective.