Supermoon 2022: July's full moon is rising today| Know all about Buck moon

Washington, July 13: The third supermoon of 2022 will grace the night sky at 5 am EDT on July 13 (2:30 pm IST). The Moon will be near its closest approach to Earth. Since the Moon will be near its closest approach to Earth, it will appear slightly larger and brighter than usual

Nine hours and 38 minutes after arriving at its closest point to Earth for 2022, the Moon will officially turn full. This will also be the brightest Full Moon of the year. At 2:38 pm UTC on July 13 (12:08 am IST on July 14), the Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun.

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.

What is a Supermoon?

A supermoon occurs when the Moon's orbit is closest (perigee) to Earth at the same time the Moon is full. So what's so special about a supermoon?

• The Moon orbits Earth in an ellipse, an oval that brings it closer to and farther from Earth as it goes around.
• The farthest point in this ellipse is called the apogee and is about 253,000 miles (405,500 kilometers) from Earth on average.
• Its closest point is the perigee, which is an average distance of about 226,000 miles (363,300 kilometers) from Earth.
• When a full moon appears at perigee it is slightly brighter and larger than a regular full moon - and that's where we get a "supermoon.

How to watch the July Buck Supermoon online?

The supermoon to occur in July is the third of the four supermoons for 2022.

People worldwide can watch the July Buck Supermoon online. The astronomical phenomenon will be broadcast from Rome.

The Virtual Telescope Project will start broadcasting the July Buck Supermoon at 4 pm EDT on July 13 (1:30 am IST on July 14). One can watch the livestream at the project's website.

Gianluca Masi, an Italian astrophysicist who founded the Virtual Telescope Project, said in a statement that on July 13, the sky will show the world the closest Full Moon of the year. He said that it will be the third, but largest Supermoon of 2022.

Astronomy enthusiasts can also view the July Buck Supermoon using binoculars or a telescope.

Origin of the Word 'Supermoon'

The term 'supermoon' was coined in 1979 by American astrologer Richard Nolle and is often used to describe what astronomers would call a perigean (pear-ih-jee-un) full moon: a full moon occurring near or at the time when the Moon is at the closest point in its orbit around Earth.

The term gives preference to the geometric alignment of Sun-Earth-Moon and allows the occurrence of perigee into a wider time period than the actual instant of perigee (up to about two weeks, which is almost half of the Moon's orbit).

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.