July's "Buck Moon," brightest supermoon of the year, lights up nighttime sky
MIAMI - Look to the sky this week for a celestial sight - the "Buck Moon," the brightest supermoon of 2022.
Definitions of a supermoon can vary, but the term generally denotes a full moon that is brighter and closer to Earth than normal and thus appears larger in the night sky.
Some astronomers say that the phenomenon occurs when the moon is within 90% of perigee -- which is its closest approach to Earth in orbit.
On Wednesday, July 13 at 5:06 a.m. the moon was at perigee. The moon was about 222,089 miles away, about 17,000 miles closer than it is on average, according to NASA.
The moon will rise at 8:40 p.m. on Wednesday and at 9:35 p.m. on Thursday, so you'll have plenty of time to enjoy it.
It will hang fairly low all night in the sky before setting close to sunrise. The best time to see it will be around moonrise or moonset.
According to the Farmer's Almanac, the July 2022 supermoon appears farther south in the sky, adding to its enlarged appearance.
It is known as the "Buck Moon" because between June and July male deer antlers undergo a period of rapid growth.
July's supermoon is also known as the "Hay Moon" and "Thunder Moon.