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July 2023 Full Moon: 1st of 4 Supermoons This Summer

By GauravJuly 12, 2023
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What is Buck Moon? How to Know Moonrise Today?

The July moon is known as the Buck Moon. As per NASA, the supermoon of July name comes from the Maine Farmers’ Almanac. The organization started naming moons in the 1930s, eventually becoming famous. The name comes from the fact that it is that time of the year when male deer (bucks) begin to grow new antlers.


July 2023 Full Moonrise Time: 1st of 4 Supermoons This Summer


As per NASA, the moon rise time on Monday morning i.e. July 3, 2023 was appearing opposite to the Sun in Earth-based longitude around 7:39 AM EDT. Saturday late night in the International Date West Time Zone and early Tuesday morning from the Chatham Island Time Zone eastward to the International Date Line.


The best time for viewing the July supermoon is moonrise or moonset. It is when the moon appears massive in the sky. The moonrise time was around 5 pm in India. If you want to know the time of moonrise today for your location, you can use the stargazing app or their website.


When Can You See the Full Moon in July 2023?

July’s full moon rose on Monday, July 3 reaching the peak illumination at 7:39 am EDT. It was below the horizon at that time, so you can look towards the southeast after sunset to watch the moonrise in the sky. It gave the proper moon view on that day.


Significance of Its Name

The moon names used by The Old Farmer’s Almanac come from several places, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally each moon name was applied to the entire lunar month when it occurred, not solely to the moon.


The moon in July is called the Buck Moon as the male deer (bucks) grow antlers at this time of the year, and their growth is at its best around this time. Bucks shed and regrow their antlers every year, producing a larger and more impressive set as the year goes by.


To know about the time of moonrise today or any other day of the year you can visit the applications and websites which can help you through it.


Alternative July Moon Names

The July Moon has several alternative names, such as “Thunder Moon” This name comes from the Algonquin tribes who lived in the northeastern US. It is because there are thunderstorms quite often during the early summer.


This Moon has different names for different regions. For Indians, it is commonly called the Guru Purnima. It is a time to cleanse the mind and honor spiritual matters. For Europeans, it is known as the Hay Moon or Rose Moon. Fred Espanak, Eclipse Expert and retired NASA astrophysicist, said that during the July Moon, the moon was 224,895 miles away from the Earth instead of 238,000 miles, the average distance between them.


Several other alternative names for this month’s moon-referring animals include Feather Moulting Moon (Cree) and Salmon Moon, a Tlingit term that indicates that when fish returns to the area and are ready to be harvested. Plants are also featured prominently in July’s moon names. Some of our favorites are Berry Moon (Anishinaabe), Moon when chokecherries are ripe (Dakota), Month of the Ripe corn Moon (Cherokee), and Raspberry Moon (Algonquin Ojibwe).


Thunder Moon (Western Abenaki) and Halfway Summer Moon (Anishinaabe) are alternative variants that refer to stormy weather and the summer season.


Don’t Miss the Full Buck Supermoon

July’s moon orbits closer to Earth than many of the other Moons this year, making this one of the four supermoons in 2023. At the nearest point, the Moon will be 224,895 miles from the Earth which means that August’s Blue Moon will be the supermoon that is closer to our planet this year.


While a supermoon is generally bigger and brighter compared to a regular moon, it only appears 7% larger which may not be a perceptible difference to a human eye depending on other conditions.


Moon Facts

  • On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first person to step on the Moon. He placed the US flag there.

  • On July 31, 1999, the ashes of the astrogeologist Eugene Shoemaker were deposited on the moon.



Conclusion

July 2023 supermoon is a noteworthy event that can surely amaze and delight moon watchers. On the 4th of July, the celebrations coincided with this astronomical event. It was a night worth remembering.

FAQs on July 2023 Full Moon: 1st of 4 Supermoons This Summer

1. At what Time Will the Moonrise Today?

The time for moonrise was at 5 pm on July 3, 2023.

2. When is the New Moon After the July Supermoon?

The New Moon in July after the July supermoon is on July 17,2023.

3. Why is It Special?

During this time the Moon’s orbit is not a perfect circle due to the Earth’s gravitational pull, giving it an elliptical structure.