The Biggest Supermoon of the Year Peaks This Week—Here’s How and When to See It
July’s full Buck Supermoon will peak this week, and it’ll be the biggest and brightest full moon of the year.
The moon will appear full for three days, per NASA, from early Tuesday morning through early Friday morning.
Here’s exactly how and when to see it at its peak.
It’s a special month for stargazers—because July’s full moon will not only be a supermoon, but it’ll be the brightest and biggest one of the year. It’s a natural phenomenon you won’t want to miss, so we’re sharing everything you need to know about the full Buck Supermoon of 2022, including how and when to see it at its brightest.
When to watch the full Buck Supermoon
The full Buck Moon, also called the Thunder Moon, will reach peak brightness on Wednesday, July 13 at 2:38 p.m. EST, according to NASA. However, it will be below the horizon at that point, so it will be best observed after sunset as it rises into the night sky. The moon will appear full for three days, per NASA, from early Tuesday morning through early Friday morning. To find out when exactly it will be visible in your time zone, you can plug your zip code into The Old Farmer’s Almanac moonrise and moonset calculator.
What does the name Buck Moon mean?
According to Farmers’ Almanac, the Buck Moon gets its name from the male deer, whose antlers finish growing and hardening in the summer, creating a grand silhouette against the night sky. The July full moon is also called the Thunder Moon after prominent summer thunderstorms, or even the Hay Moon, as it marks the time for farmers to cut and cure hay to store for winter feed. For those who practice Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, it’s also known as Guru Full Moon (Guru Purnima), per NASA, and is celebrated as a time for clearing the mind and honoring the guru or spiritual master.
What is a supermoon, exactly?
Supermoons are full moons that appear bigger and brighter because they are within 90% of perigee, or their closest point in orbit to Earth. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, this year’s Buck Supermoon will be 222,089.3 miles from Earth.
When is the next full moon?
There’s a full moon every month of the year, and the next one, August’s Sturgeon Moon, will peak on Thursday, August 11 at 9:36 p.m. EST, according to Farmers’ Almanac.
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