Biggest Supermoon of 2022: Know why is it called Buck moon, when, where to watch
According to NASA, the second Supermoon of 2022 will last up to three days this week, from early Tuesday morning through early Friday morning.
Anyone who missed the supermoon in June 2022, also known as the Strawberry moon, they have another chance to catch a supermoon tomorrow - July 13, 2022. The much-awaited full moon is also known as the Buck moon, a reference to the time of year when new antlers are growing on male deer or bucks. Bucks shed and regrow their antlers each year, producing a larger and more impressive set as the years go by.
According to NASA, the second Supermoon of 2022 will last up to three days this week. "The Moon will appear full for about three days around this time, from early Tuesday morning through early Friday morning," the US space agency said in a statement.
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On Wednesday (July 13) at 5:00 am EDT (2:30 PM IST), the moon will arrive at its closest point to the Earth for 2022 - a perigee distance of 357,264 kilometres away. By the evening of Wednesday, as evening twilight ends at 9:44 pm EDT (7:14 am IST), the full moon will appear 5 degrees above the southeastern horizon, NASA said.
"July's full Buck Moon orbits closer to Earth than any other full Moon this year, making it the biggest and brightest supermoon of 2022! At its nearest point, the Buck Moon will be 357,418 km from Earth so it just edges out June's Strawberry Moon by 200 km," as per Almanac.com.
What is a supermoon?
‘Supermoon’ can be seen when a full moon coincides with the Moon’s nearest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit. The closest point is termed perigee. The term ‘Supermoon’ was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979. It is not considered to be an official astronomical term.
According to the common understanding of the term, ‘Supermoon’ refers to either a new or full moon which happens when the Moon is within 90% of perigee. The first supermoon of 2022 rose in June and the third and final of the year will rise in August. The next supermoon is slated to appear on September 18, 2024.