This week, NASA has been looking farther than it had ever looked before, with dazzling results. But if you like to look at the sky with your own eyes to see a breathtaking view, you can also look up until Friday, July 15th. A supermoon is approaching, which will officially arrive at 4.37 am AEST this Thursday. July 14th, Down Under, and if you train your viewpoints to the sky tonight, you’ll still have a brilliant show.
While super-full moons aren’t particularly rare (several usually happen each year, and one occurred last month), there’s a good reason to look up this time. If you’re wondering why, we’ve reviewed the details below.
NASA / Joel Kowsky
WHAT IS?
If you’re more familiar with The Mighty Boosh’s moon vision than with the actual lunar terms, here’s what you need to know. As we all knew in November 2016, a supermoon is a new moon or full moon that occurs when the moon reaches the closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit, which makes it especially bright. They are not so strange, and because the July 2022 supermoon is a full moon (and not a new moon), it is called a super full moon.
It is also a buck moon, which does not refer to its shape or any other physical characteristics, but to the time of year. In the northern hemisphere, July is more or less when new antlers begin to appear that grow a deer every year. Of course, this doesn’t really apply to the southern hemisphere, but the name still holds.
In addition, this supermoon happens to be the largest and brightest in 2022, as well as at the end of the year until December.
WHEN CAN I SEE HIM?
As mentioned above, the silver supermoon officially arrived at 4.37 am EAST today, Thursday, July 14, Down Under, but luckily it is still visible until Friday morning, Australia time and New Zealand.
NASA reports that this moon looks full for a few days, Tuesday through Friday, so if you already thought the night sky looked a little brighter this week, so be it.
Do you still have to see it? You will want to look outside when it gets dark to enjoy your eyes with a bright lunar vision. Visit timeanddate.com for relevant sunrise and sunset times for your area, with the moon set at 17:37 AEST on Thursday 14 July and setting at 7:58 AEST on Friday 15 July. July.
WHERE CAN I SEE IT?
You can take a look from your patio or balcony, but the standard tips on looking at the night sky always apply, so city dwellers will want to get as far away from light pollution as possible to get the absolute best view. .
As for the weather, the Meteorological Office reports that Sydney’s rains will start to decrease tonight, Melbourne will be cloudy, showers will develop in Perth and Adelaide will be partly cloudy. In Brisbane, however, a clear sky awaits them.
If you miss this supermoon, the next one will be on December 23rd, and there will also be a total lunar eclipse on November 8th.
Through NASA / timeanddate.com. Top image: Andrew C.