Another full moon is upon us as we start July.
You probably won’t be able to tell, but the full moon will loom slightly larger in the sky than ones earlier this year. It’s approaching the closest point in its orbit around the Earth for the year. By one definition, that makes it the first of four “supermoons” over the next few months. This full moon will be about 225,000 miles away; the average distance is 239,000 miles.
This “Full Buck Moon,” as it’s commonly called, got its name because bucks are growing their antlers this time of year. July’s full moon also goes by the Blueberry Moon, Raspberry Moon, String Bean Moon and Thunderstorm Moon.
The western sky in the evening early this week. (Adapted from Stellarium)
If you check out the moon in the evening, look over to the western sky. You’ll see Venus setting, slipping below the horizon before midnight. Above it, you can spot the Big Dipper.
See the other celestial sights that are coming the rest of the year. August brings two full moons!
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