why is it called that, when is it and how to see it

(CNN) — July’s full moon, called the deer moon, will light up our sky from this Wednesday in a particularly impressive way, since it is also a supermoon.

When it comes to full moons, it’s possible to see them almost at their full phase days before and after their peak, so you could have spotted a big moon in the sky on July 12. However, the best point is yet to come this Wednesday.

Here’s all the details on July’s deer moon.

Full Stag Moon: Duration and Peak

According to NASA, This full moon will appear from Tuesday morning, July 12, to Friday morning, July 15.

It will, however, peak this Wednesday at 2:48 pm Miami time, but won’t be fully visible in North America until moonrise.

For those who see it at peak time in other places where it is night or early morning, it may appear larger and brighter than other moons in 2022 because it is a supermoon.

Although there is no single definition of a supermoon, the term usually refers to a full moon that can stand out more than others because it is within 90% of its orbit closest to Earth. The deer moon is the closest supermoon to Earth this year, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

What time to see it in the place where I live?

Although in North America you will not be able to see it at its peak, when the moon rises you will still be able to see it at a great point. In fact, as mentioned above, the deer moon will be visible until Friday morning.

“Unlike some astronomical events, there isn’t (a situation where) you have to look at (the moon) right now or you’ll miss it,” said Noah Petro, head of NASA’s Laboratory for Planetary Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry. . “There really isn’t a time when you have to be looking at it to get the most out of a full moon. If it’s cloudy and you don’t want to be outside, just go one of the next few nights.”

To get the clearest views of the Moon, Petro recommends avoiding areas surrounded by tall buildings and thick forests.

According to the portal timeanddate.comthe only thing you need to see the deer moon is to know what time it sets and what time the moon rises in your place of origin.

If you live in the United States, the calculator from the Old Farmer’s Almanac can help you know what time the Moon rises and sets in your area.

Meanwhile, if you are in other parts of the world, you can go to timeanddate.com to find out the times when the moon sets and rises where you are. For example:

• In Mexico CityMexican capital, this Wednesday the moon set at 6:45 am and rises at 8:43 pm (local time), time at which you can see the deer moon in a good way.
• In Bogota Colombiathe moon set this Wednesday 5:33 am and rises at 6:27 pm (local time).
• In Buenos Aires, Argentinathe moon set this Wednesday at 8:02 am and rises at 5:50 pm (local time).

At timeanddate.com you can also check the times of the following days, until Friday morning, which is the last of the deer moon.

Why is it called a deer moon?

July’s full moon is commonly known as the deer moon because male deer, or bucks in English, they fully grow their antlers in July, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Deer antlers shed and regrow each year, getting larger as the animals age.

But this is not the only name by which the July full moon is known.

The Tlingit call it the salmon moon, as the fish often return to the Pacific Northwest coast around this time and are ready to be harvested. For the Western Abenaki, it is the thunder moon, referring to the frequent thunderstorms at this time of year.

In Europe, the July moon is often called the hay moon after the hay season in June and July, according to NASA.

The full moon in July corresponds with the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain festival Guru Purnima, a celebration to clear the mind and honor spiritual and academic gurus.

To Petro and other space enthusiasts, this moon is called the moon of Apollo 11. Apollo 11 was the first mission to put humans on the lunar surface. The mission launched on July 16, 1969 and landed on the moon on July 20, 1969.

The remaining full moons of 2022

There are five full moons left for 2022, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac:

• August 11: Sturgeon Moon
• September 10: Harvest Moon
• October 9: Hunter’s Moon
• November 8: Beaver Moon
• December 7: cold moon

Although these are the popularized names associated with the full moon of each month, each of them has a varied meaning in the native american tribes.

lunar and solar eclipses

One total lunar eclipse and one partial solar eclipse remain in the remainder of 2022, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.
Partial solar eclipses occur when the Moon passes in front of the Sun, but only blocks part of its light. Make sure you wear proper glasses to view solar eclipses safely, as direct sunlight can be harmful to your eyes.

A partial solar eclipse will be visible to people in Greenland, Iceland, Europe, northeast Africa, the Middle East, western Asia, India, and western China on October 25. This eclipse will not be visible from North America.

A total lunar eclipse will also be visible to those in Asia, Australia, the Pacific, South America, and North America on November 8 between 3:01 a.m. and 8:58 a.m. Miami time, but the Moon will set for those are found in the eastern regions of North America.

meteor showers

These are the meteor showers that we can enjoy in the remainder of 2022:

• Southern Delta Aquarids: July 29-30
• Alpha Capricorns: July 30-31
• Perseids: August 11-12
• Orionids: October 20-21
• Southern Taurids: November 4-5
• Northern Taurids: November 11-12
• Leonidas: November 17-18
• Geminids: December 13-14
• Ursids: December 21-22

If you live in an urban area, it is recommended that you go to a place that is not plagued by city lights that obstruct your vision. If you find an area that is not affected by light pollution, meteors could be visible every two minutes from sunset to sunrise.

Find an open area with a wide view of the sky. Make sure you have a chair or blanket so you can look up. And give your eyes 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the dark, without looking at your phone or other electronics, to make meteors easier to spot.