Astronomy enthusiasts are in luck as the first supermoon of 2023 will light up skies around the world tonight.
The so-called ‘Dollar Moon’ is expected to shine around 10:24 pm GMT (01:43 pm EDT) tonight before reaching its full phase tomorrow morning for a magnificent start to July.
Both Mars and Venus could also be visible once the darkness disappears just after 10:40pm GMT on the western horizon in the UK, and 1:45am EDT in the US, according to stellarium.
The show will take place when the Moon reaches its full phase, which occurs every 29.5 days.
But since it’s a supermoon, our lunar satellite will look 5.8% larger and shine 12.8% brighter than an ordinary full moon. star walk has claimed.
The so-called ‘Dollar Moon’ is expected to peak around 22:24 GMT (01:43 p.m.).
That’s because the moon is nearing its closest point to Earth at 224,895 miles (361,934 km), about 13,959 miles (22,466 km) closer than usual.
This is known as “perigee,” and at this time the moon can look up to 14 percent larger than usual.
Because the supermoon takes place in July, it has been dubbed “Buck’s Full Moon,” a name given to it by Native Americans.
‘Buck’ refers to young male deer that grow new antlers in early July of each year.
In the southern hemisphere, this phase is also known as the ‘Wolf Moon’ or the ‘Ice Moon’, while the Celts called it the Reclamation Moon.
Meanwhile, some Asian cultures refer to it as the ‘hungry ghost moon’, to be celebrated during the month of August.
As part of the Hungry Ghost Festival, people usually present food offerings to the souls of the dead who are believed to roam the area.
These perishables are found among gold and other goods that many believe will keep souls from rising up to mischief.
Conspiracy theories have surrounded supermoons and full moons for a long time, with some questioning whether they can affect your emotions or even make people more violent.
The belief that the moon influences human health first arose among early folklore, Royal Musesums Greenwich reports, with common appeals for increased sleep problems and seizures.
While the scientific basis for such links is weak, some recent studies claim to have found a connection between the moon and sleep.
Mars and Venus could also be visible once the darkness clears just after 10:40pm GMT on the western horizon in the UK and 1:45am EDT in the US, according to Stellarium.
Supermoons take place when the moon is at ‘perigee’, its closest proximity to Earth.
In 2021, scientists from Yale and the University of Washington found that people generally have more trouble falling asleep during a full moon.
This was related to differences in lighting intensity that prevented sleep onset in the early hours of the night.
The study explained: ‘In this context, it is primarily the moonlight available during the early hours of the night that is most likely to drive changes in sleep onset.
“By contrast, moonlight late at night, when most people typically sleep, should have little influence on sleep onset or duration.”
While July 3 will see the first supermoon of the year, the next one isn’t far away.
It is expected to occur on August 1 at 18:31 GMT (2:31 pm EDT).
Although Venus and Mars should be visible once darkness sets in, it’s important to take binoculars or a telescope to a good spot for stargazing.
NASA also recommends checking the weather forecast ahead of time to find a cloud-free area.
This should also provide an unobstructed view of the skyline, avoiding buildings and blaring city lights.
To differentiate between stars and planets, observers must look for non-bright objects among the flickering stars.
But if you miss the show, don’t worry.
A series of astronomical events will take place in the next month, including the peak of five meteor showers.
Observers in the Northern Hemisphere can expect to see the July Pegasids around July 23, with a maximum of five meteors every hour.
This will pick up a bit around July 30, as the Southern Aquarids will peak with a shower of around 25 meteors every hour.
the phases of the moon
Like Earth, the Moon has a day side and a night side, which change as the Moon rotates.
The Sun always lights up half of the Moon while the other half remains dark, but how much of that lighted half we can see changes as the Moon travels through its orbit.
In the northern hemisphere, the phases of the moon are:
1. New Moon
This is the invisible phase of the Moon, with the illuminated side of the Moon facing the Sun and the night side facing Earth.
2. Crescent crescent
This silver sliver of a Moon occurs when the illuminated half of the Moon is mostly facing away from Earth, with only a small portion visible to us from our planet.
3. First Trimester
The Moon is now one quarter of its monthly journey and you see half of its illuminated side.
4. Gibbous crescent
Now most of the day side of the Moon has become visible and the Moon appears brighter in the sky.
5. Full Moon
This is the closest we get to seeing the Sun’s illumination on the entire day side of the Moon.
6. Waning Gibbous
As the Moon begins its journey back towards the Sun, the opposite side of the Moon now reflects the Moonlight.
7. Last Quarter
The Moon appears to be half illuminated from Earth’s perspective, but you are actually seeing half of the Moon that is illuminated by the Sun, half, or a quarter.
8. Waning crescent
The Moon is almost back to the point in its orbit where its day side faces directly at the Sun, and all we see from our perspective is a thin curve.
