If you're interested in astronomy, you'll certainly want to put your eyes to the skies this Fourth of July weekend. Well, for at least a part of it.
The four of first supermoons set to make an appearance this year will dazzle the skies in the coming days.
July's full moon, also referred to as the Buck Moon, is expected to rise after sunset on Monday and reach its peak at 6:39 a.m. Central Standard Time, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. For the best chance to see it, make sure to get up early and look toward the southeast after sunset.
Despite their name, supermoons might not actually seem much larger than your typical moon from Earth, although they are brighter and larger. Supermoons can lead to a 30% brightening of the moon and a 14% increase in the lunar disk as seen from Earth, according to Space.com. However, these differences aren't usually noticed by the unaided eye.
So, what causes a supermoon in the first place?
They occur simply because the orbit of the moon around earth isn't a perfect circle; it's elliptical and appears like an elongated circle or oval due to Earth's gravitational influence, according to Space.com. A supermoon happens when the moon's orbit is closest to Earth, while the Moon is full at the same time, according to NASA.
If you miss next week's supermoon for whatever reason, you won't have to wait too long to see another. Two are actually expected in August.
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First up will be the Full Sturgeon Moon, which rises on Tuesday, Aug. 1. A second supermoon will arrive later in the month, Aug. 30 to be exact.
The series of supermoons will come to an end a few weeks after that. September's full moon, the Full Corn Moon, will rise on Sept. 28.
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