SUPERMOON
The first of four so-called ‘SuperMoons’ in a row will rise on Monday evening. Specifically offering SkyGazers the chance to see the biggest and brightest Moon of the year so far. The Moon will be less than 365,000 kilometres (225,000 miles) from Earth, which is roughly 22,000km closer than usual.
Astronomers at Nasa posted details about the best way to witness the celestial phenomenon this week. – “Tuesday afternoon, 4 July, 2023, at 6.26pm EDT (11.26pm BST), the Moon sill be at perigee, its closest to the Earth for this orbit
The rising full Moon will be 3 degrees above the southeastern horizon,” the US space agency noted.
Starting tonight (3rd July) when it will rise at 10.14pm UK time (GMT)
Did you know that the July Supermoon is called a Buck Moon? Specifically names after the antlers of a Buck Deer.
They grow new Antlers at this time of year, having shed their previous pair during spring.
As the Moon orbits the Earth in an elliptical shape rather than in a circle, its distance to us varies over time. A supermoon is a phenomenon that occurs when a full Moon takes place at the same time as the perigee (when the Moon is closest to the Earth).
A full Moon during perigee will appear 14 per cent larger and 30 per cent brighter than a full Moon during apogee (when the Moon is furthest away from the Earth – an event called a micromoon). A supermoon is also around 7 per cent larger and 15 per cent brighter than the average full Moon.
