Rare spectacle: July 13 to witness 2022's biggest moon!
We saw the last supermoon , Strawberry Moon on June 14, and now on July 13, be prepared to see the biggest moon of 2022! Wednesday will witness a gigantic supermoon, with the celestial body closest to our planet this year. The Moon will be closest to the Earth, at only 3,57,264 kilometers away. This will also be the second supermoon of the year.
What is a supermoon?
A supermoon occurs when the moon appears larger and brighter to us. Such celestial events are a treat for skywatchers all over the world. According to NASA, "supermoon" refers to a full moon that occurs when the moon is within 90 percent of its perigee. Supermoons are 14% bigger and 30% brighter than micromoons, which occur when the moon is farthest from Earth.
When to watch the rare spectacle
The supermoon of July is also known as Buck Moon, named after the antlers of male deer which reach their peak growth around this time. It will be visible at 12:08 am IST, Thursday, on the night of July 13. The moon may appear to be full for about three days, from early Tuesday morning through early Friday morning.
How the weather will be influenced
This week's full moon coinciding with perigee will result in a large range of high and low ocean tides. Coastal storms will aggravate coastal flooding. Such extreme tides are known as perigean spring tides. The word 'spring' was derived from the German springen, which means to "spring up." Tidal effects add together when the sun and moon form a line with the Earth.
Some more facts about July's full moon
Some years have three supermoons, others have four, such as this year. In some rare cases, there can be five supermoons, as per the forecast for the years 2029 through 2033. July's full moon is also called Thunder Moon, Mead Moon, and Hay Moon. In Europe, July's full moon is recognized as Hay Moon because haymaking typically takes place this time, according to NASA.
