On the evening of Wednesday, July 13, 2022– the day of the full moon– as evening golden ends at 9:44 p.m. EDT (6:44 p.m. PDT), the Moon will appear 5 degrees above the southeastern horizon. By the evening of Thursday, August 11 (the day of the complete moon after next), as evening golden ends at 9:11 p.m. EDT (6:11 p.m. PDT), the rising Moon will appear 7 degrees above the east-southeastern horizon with the world Saturn 6 degrees to the upper left of the Moon. As the Moon rises above the east-southeastern horizon Friday night at 10:34 p.m. EDT (7:34 p.m. PDT), Saturn will appear about 6 degrees above the Moon. The Moon will reach its highest in the sky for the night on Saturday early morning at 3:46 a.m. with Saturn about 7 degrees to the right of the Moon, and morning golden will begin about an hour later on at 4:46 a.m.
On Saturday afternoon, July 16, 2022, the planet Mercury will pass on the far side of the Sun as seen from the Earth, called superior remarkable. With approximately seven days between each phase of the Moon, the seventh day of a lunisolar month is constantly on or near the first quarter Moon.
A full moon rises over Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles in August 2021. Credit: NASA/Preston Dyches
The next full moon is called the Buck Supermoon, the Thunder Moon, and the Hay or Mead Moon.
Wednesday afternoon, July 13, 2022, will be the next moon, appearing opposite the Sun in Earth-based longitude at 2:38 p.m. EDT (11:38 a.m. PDT). From the India Standard Time Zone eastward to the International Date Line, this will be on Thursday morning. The Moon will appear complete for about 3 days, from early Tuesday early morning through early Friday morning.
Whats in a Name
The Maine Farmers Almanac started publishing Native American names for full moons in the 1930s. According to this Almanac, the Algonquin people of what is now the northeastern United States called this the Buck Moon.
Europeans called this the Hay Moon for the haymaking in June and July, and sometimes the Mead Moon (although this name was likewise utilized for the previous moon). Mead is developed by fermenting honey blended with water, in some cases adding fruits, grains, spices, or hops.
For Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains, this is called the Guru Full Moon (Guru Purnima), celebrated as a time for clearing the mind and honoring the master or spiritual master.
For Theravada Buddhists, this moon is called Asalha Puja, also called Dharma Day or Esala Poya, an essential celebration celebrating the Buddhas very first sermon.
As the full moon day of Waso (the fourth month of the traditional Burmese lunisolar calendar), this is the start of the three-month yearly Buddhist retreat called Vassa.
In numerous traditional lunisolar and lunar calendars, full moons fall on or near the middle of the lunar months. This moon remains in the middle of the 6th month of the Chinese calendar, Tammuz in the Hebrew calendar, and Dhu al-Hijjah, the Final and 12th month of the Islamic year. Dhu al-Hijjah is the month of the Hajj and the Festival of the Sacrifice, and is one of four sacred months throughout which fighting is forbidden.
An airplane taking off from Ronald Reagan National Airport is seen passing in front of a supermoon as it increases on Sunday, December 3, 2017, in Washington. A supermoon takes place when the moons orbit is closest (perigee) to Earth at the same time it is complete. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
The Buck Supermoon
Considering that the peak of this moon is less than 10 hours after the Moon was closest to the Earth in its orbit, this will be a supermoon. Created by astrologist Richard Nolle in 1979, the term “supermoon” refers to either a new or full moon that takes place when the Moon is within 90% of perigee, its closest technique to Earth.
Because we cant see brand-new supermoons (other than when the Moon passes in front of the Sun and causes an eclipse), what has captured the general publics attention are full supermoons, considering that these are the greatest and brightest full moons of the year. Perigee differs with each orbit, resulting in different publications utilizing different limits for deciding which moons certify, but all agree that this full moon is undoubtedly a supermoon.
Considering that this is also called the Thunder Moon, a fast note on lightning safety. Positive lightning can often strike areas where the sky is clear (hence the term “bolt out of the blue”). Because it arcs throughout a greater distance it tends to be 5 to 10 times more powerful than routine ground strikes.
As typical, the using of suitably celebratory celestial attire is encouraged in honor of the complete moon. Be safe (particularly during thunderstorms), prevent beginning wars, and take a minute to clear your mind.
Here is a summary of celestial occasions in between now and the moon after next (with angles and times based on the area of NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.):.
As summer season continues the day-to-day durations of sunlight continue to reduce. On Wednesday, July 13, 2022 (the day of the moon), early morning golden will begin at 4:43 a.m. EDT (1:43 a.m. PDT), daybreak will be at 5:54 a.m, solar noon will be at 1:13:53 p.m. when the Sun will reach its maximum elevation of 72.87 degrees, sunset will be at 8:34 p.m., and night golden will end at 9:44 p.m. By Wednesday, August 11 (the day of the complete moon after next), morning golden will start at 5:14 a.m., dawn will be at 6:18 a.m., solar noon will be at 1:13:20 p.m. when the Sun will reach its maximum altitude of 66.24 degrees, sundown will be at 8:08 p.m., and evening golden will end at 9:11 p.m.
Meteor Showers.
According to the International Meteor Organization, the Southern Delta Aquariids are anticipated to peak early Saturday early morning, July 30, 2022. The radiant for this meteor shower remains in the Southern Hemisphere. Under perfect conditions– a southern area far from light contamination and other lights with a clear view of a sky that has no clouds or haze– you might be able to see about 16 meteors per hour. From more city and northern areas like Washington, D.C., the possibility of seeing these meteors is substantially reduced. Throughout this lunar cycle, 3 other meteor showers are expected to peak, each at about 5 meteors per hour (under perfect conditions). These too will be hard to see from city environments.
Evening Sky Highlights.
On the night of Wednesday, July 13, 2022– the day of the moon– as night twilight ends at 9:44 p.m. EDT (6:44 p.m. PDT), the Moon will appear 5 degrees above the southeastern horizon. Two bright stars will be almost tied for closest to overhead, with Vega 60 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon and Arcturus 59 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon. Vega, the 5th brightest star in our night sky, is about 25 light-years from Earth. It is about two times the mass of our Sun but shines 40 times brighter. Arcturus, the 4th brightest star in our night sky, has to do with 37 light-years from Earth. It is almost the same mass as our Sun, however older. Arcturus has actually used up its core hydrogen and become a red giant, swelling to about 25 times its previous size and shining about 170 times brighter than the Sun. Our Sun is about midway through this lifecycle and is expected to become a red giant in about 5 billion years.
As the lunar cycle progresses the background of stars will appear to move westward each night as the Earth moves the Sun. Starting around July 23, 2022, the planet Saturn will begin appearing above the east-southeastern horizon as evening golden ends. The waxing moon will pass near the brilliant stars Spica on August 3 and Antares on August 6. By the evening of Thursday, August 11 (the day of the complete moon after next), as night twilight ends at 9:11 p.m. EDT (6:11 p.m. PDT), the increasing Moon will appear 7 degrees above the east-southeastern horizon with the planet Saturn 6 degrees to the upper left of the Moon. The intense star appearing closest to directly overhead will be Vega at 76 degrees above the eastern horizon.
Morning Sky Highlights.
On the morning of Wednesday, July 13, 2022– the day of the full moon– as early morning golden begins at 4:43 a.m. EDT (1:43 a.m. PDT), 4 of the five visible worlds will appear in a line across the sky, with Saturn to the upper right at 34 degrees above the south-southwestern horizon, Jupiter at 48 degrees above the southeastern horizon, Mars at 39 degrees above the east-southeastern horizon, and Venus to the lower left at 7 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon. Mercury will no longer show up in the radiance of dawn, as it will increase less than 30 minutes before sunrise. The complete moon will appear 4 degrees above the southwestern horizon. The brilliant star appearing closest to overhead will be Deneb at 64 degrees above the west-northwestern horizon. Deneb has to do with 20 times more huge than our Sun but has actually used up its hydrogen and broadened into a blue-white supergiant with a size about 200 times that of our Sun. If Deneb were in the exact same place as our Sun, it would encompass about the orbit of the Earth. Deneb is about 2,600 light-years from Earth and is the 19th brightest star in our night sky.
As the lunar cycle progresses, the background of stars together with Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars will appear to move westward each morning, although Mars will appear to move more gradually. Venus will appear to shift the opposite method, closer to the eastern horizon each early morning. The subsiding moon will pass near the worlds Saturn on July 16, Jupiter on July 19, Mars on July 21; the Pleiades star cluster on July 23; the planet Venus on July 26; and the brilliant star Pollux on July 27, 2022.
By the early morning of Thursday, August 11, 2022, (the day of the complete moon after next), as morning golden starts at 5:14 a.m. EDT (2:14 a.m. PDT), 4 of the 5 noticeable planets will appear spread out across the sky, with Saturn at 14 degrees above the southwestern horizon, Jupiter at 51 degrees above the south-southwestern horizon, Mars at 55 degrees above the east-southeastern horizon, and Venus at 5 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon. The full moon will set on the west-southwestern horizon below Saturn. The brilliant celestial object appearing closest to overhead will be Mars.
Detailed Daily Guide.
Here is a more comprehensive, day-by-day listing of celestial occasions between now and the full moon after next. The times and angles are based on the place of NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and a few of these details may differ for your place.
July 7-8.
In some parts of Japan, the Tanabata or Star Festival is celebrated on July 7, the double seventh of the Gregorian Calendar.
On Thursday night into early Friday early morning, July 7 to 8, 2022, the brilliant star Spica will appear about 5 degrees to the lower right of the waxing gibbous moon. The Moon will be 34 degrees above the southwestern horizon as evening twilight ends at 9:47 p.m. EDT (6:47 p.m. PDT), and Spica will set first listed below the west-southwestern horizon after midnight at 12:56 a.m.
July 10-11.
On Sunday evening into Monday early morning, July 10 to 11, 2022, the intense star Antares will appear about 4 degrees to the lower right of the waxing gibbous moon. The Moon will be 26 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon as evening golden ends at 9:46 p.m. EDT (6:46 p.m. PDT), will reach its greatest in the sky for the night about 40 minutes later on at 10:28 p.m., and Antares will set first listed below the west-southwestern horizon a little bit more than 4 hours after that at 2:51 a.m.
Monday early morning, July 11, 2022, is the last morning that Mercury may potentially be visible in the radiance of dawn for this apparition, as it will rise above the east-northeastern horizon at 5:20 a.m. EDT (2:20 a.m. PDT), just 32 minutes before dawn at 5:52 a.m. As a practical matter, this truly only uses to locations with dry and extremely clear air. For much of the U.S., our damp summer seasons suggest it will be hazy on the horizon and the glow of dawn will be too intense to see Mercury.
July 13: The Buck Supermoon.
Wednesday early morning, July 13, 2022, at 5:06 a.m. EDT (2:06 a.m. PDT), the Moon will be at perigee, its closest to the Earth for this orbit.
As pointed out above, the next moon will be Wednesday afternoon, July 13, 2022, at 2:38 p.m. EDT (11:38 a.m. PDT). Given that this is less than 10 hours after perigee, this will be a supermoon. The Moon will appear complete for about 3 days, from early Tuesday morning through early Friday morning.
July 15-16.
As the Moon increases above the east-southeastern horizon Friday night at 10:34 p.m. EDT (7:34 p.m. PDT), Saturn will appear about 6 degrees above the Moon. The Moon will reach its greatest in the sky for the night on Saturday early morning at 3:46 a.m. with Saturn about 7 degrees to the right of the Moon, and morning twilight will start about an hour later at 4:46 a.m.
On Saturday afternoon, July 16, 2022, the planet Mercury will pass on the far side of the Sun as seen from the Earth, called superior remarkable.
July 19.
Tuesday early morning, July 19, 2022, the bright planet Jupiter will appear near the waning gibbous Moon. Jupiter will appear about 3 degrees above the Moon at moonrise on the eastern horizon near midnight on Monday night at 11:58 p.m. EDT (8:58 p.m. PDT). Jupiter will appear about 5 degrees to the upper right of the Moon as morning golden starts at 4:49 a.m.
July 20.
Wednesday, July 20, 2022, is International Moon Day, marking the anniversary of the very first landing by people on the Moon 53 years earlier in 1969. The waning moon will appear half-full as it reaches its last quarter at 10:19 a.m. EDT (7:19 a.m. PDT).
July 21.
Thursday early morning, July 21, 2022, the planet Mars will appear near the subsiding crescent moon. Mars will increase above the east-northeastern horizon about an hour after midnight at 1:01 a.m. EDT (10:01 p.m. PDT on July 20), appearing about 5 degrees to the lower left of the Moon. The set will appear about 3 degrees apart by the time morning twilight begins at 4:51 a.m.
July 22.
By Friday early morning, July 22, 2022, the subsiding crescent moon will appear to have moved to the opposite of Mars (the Moon and Mars will appear at their closest midday on Thursday when we cant see them). Mars will appear about 8 degrees to the upper right of the Moon around moonrise at 1:14 a.m. EDT (10:14 p.m. PDT on July 21) and the pair will appear to separate after that.
July 23.
On Saturday morning, July 23, 2022, the Pleiades star cluster will appear about 4 degrees to the upper left of the subsiding crescent moon. The Moon will rise above the east-northeastern horizon at 1:44 a.m. EDT (10:44 p.m. PDT on July 22) about 3 hours before morning twilight begins at 4:53 a.m. In urban environments, it can be challenging to see this star cluster due to light contamination.
Saturday evening will be the very first evening that Mercury will be above the west-northwestern horizon 30 minutes after sunset. (Although Ive utilized this to estimate when Mercury might start showing up, Ive discovered that for my area, a minimum of, the high humidity of summertime means the horizons are hazy or cloudy, increasing the radiance of dusk and masking Mercury from sight till it is much greater in the sky.).
July 24.
On Sunday early morning, July 24, 2022, the bright star Aldebaran will appear about 8 degrees to the right of the subsiding crescent Moon. The Moon will increase first, then Aldebaran will rise above the east-northeastern horizon at 2:38 a.m. EDT (11:38 p.m. PDT on July 23) about 2 hours before early morning golden starts at 4:45 a.m.
July 26.
Tuesday early morning, July 26, 2022, the brilliant world Venus will appear about 5 degrees listed below the subsiding crescent moon. The Moon will increase first with Venus increasing above the east-northeastern horizon at 4:13 a.m. EDT (1:13 a.m. PDT) about 43 minutes prior to early morning twilight begins at 4:56 a.m. At 6:22 a.m. EDT( 3:22 a.m. PDT), the Moon will be at apogee, its farthest from the Earth for this orbit.
July 27.
Wednesday morning, July 27, 2022, if you have really clear skies and a clear view of the west-northwestern horizon (which can be unusual in city environments and locations with high summer season humidity), you may be able to see the bright star Pollux about 4 degrees to the left of the thin, subsiding crescent moon. The Moon will increase first and Pollux will rise at 4:49 a.m. EDT (1:49 a.m. PDT) less than 10 minutes prior to early morning golden begins at 4:58 a.m. To see this pair you will most likely require to wait till they are greater in the sky and use field glasses or a telescope due to the radiance of dawn.
July 28.
Thursday afternoon, July 28, 2022, at 1:55 p.m. EDT (10:55 a.m. PDT), will be the brand-new moon, when the Moon passes in between the Earth and the Sun and will not show up from the Earth.
The day of, or the day after, the new moon marks the start of the new month for a lot of lunisolar calendars. Sundown on Thursday, July 28, 2022, marks the start of Av in the Hebrew calendar. The seventh month of the Chinese calendar begins on Friday, July 29, (at midnight in Chinas time zone, which is 12 hours ahead of EDT and 15 hours ahead of PDT).
In the Islamic calendar, the months typically start with the first sighting of the waxing crescent moon. Using this calendar, sundown on Friday, July 29, 2022, will most likely mark the end of the month of the Hajj and the start of Muharram, although this is one of four months for which the calendar dates are typically changed by the religious authorities of Saudi Arabia after actual sightings of the lunar crescent.
July 29.
About 30 minutes (8:52 p.m. EDT/ 5:52 p.m. PDT) after sunset (8:22 p.m.) on Friday, July 29, 2022, if you have very clear skies and a clear view of the west-northwestern horizon (which can be uncommon in urban environments and areas with high summer humidity), you may be able to see the planet Mercury about 3 degrees listed below the thin, waxing crescent moon. Mercury will set first about 15 minutes later at 9:09 p.m. Given the radiance of dusk, you will probably need binoculars or a telescope to see this set, if conditions in your location allow you to see them at all.
July 30.
As noted above, the Southern Delta Aquariids are expected to peak early Saturday morning, July 30, 2022. While under ideal conditions (in a southern location far from light pollution and other light sources with a clear view of a sky that has no clouds or haze) you might be able to see about 16 meteors per hour, from more metropolitan and northern places like Washington, D.C., the chance of seeing these meteors is considerably reduced.
On Saturday, the Moon will have moved to appear about 4 degrees above the brilliant star Regulus on the west-northwestern horizon. Mercury (which you will most likely need binoculars to see) will set initially at 9:10 p.m. EDT (6:10 p.m. PDT) about 17 minutes before evening twilight ends, then Regulus will set at 9:21 p.m. about 6 minutes before golden ends, and the Moon will set at 9:52 p.m. about 25 minutes after twilight ends.
August 3-4.
On Wednesday night, August 3, 2022, the bright star Spica will appear about 4 degrees below the waxing crescent Moon. The Moon will appear about 22 degrees above the southwestern horizon as evening golden at 9:22 p.m. EDT (6:22 p.m. PDT) and Spica will set first listed below the west-southwestern horizon about 2 hours later at 11:09 p.m
. The nights of Wednesday and Thursday, August 3 and 4, 2022, will be when the planet Mercury and star Regulus will appear nearby to each other above the west-northwestern horizon after sunset. Unless the sky is very clear, you will require binoculars to see the pair, as they will set before night twilight ends.
Thursday night, August 4, 2022, will be the night of the seventh day of the seventh month of the Chinese calendar, understood as the double seventh festival or Chinese Valentines Day, Qixi in China, Chilseok in Korea, Thất Tịch in Vietnam. The Japanese Tanabata or Star Festival is related, but in some parts of Japan is now celebrated on July 7, the double seventh of the Gregorian Calendar.
With approximately seven days in between each stage of the Moon, the seventh day of a lunisolar month is always on or near the very first quarter Moon. The brilliant star Vega represents the weaver girl and the bright star Altair represents the cowherd. They are enabled to satisfy only one night a year, on the seventh night of the seventh month, when the intense star Deneb forms a bridge across the Milky Way.
August 5.
On Friday morning, August 5, 2022, the Moon will appear half-full as it reaches its very first quarter at 7:06 a.m. EDT (4:06 a.m. PDT).
August 6-7.
Saturday morning, August 6, 2022, low on the east-northeastern horizon, the intense star Pollux will appear 6.5 degrees to the upper left of the intense planet, Venus. Venus will rise at 4:32 a.m. EDT (1:32 a.m. PDT) about a half-hour prior to early morning twilight starts and will be 6 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon as golden begins at 5:09 a.m. Venus will be shifting closer to the horizon each early morning, while Pollux is shifting higher, and this will be the early morning when the set appear at their closest.
Saturday evening into early Sunday morning, August 6 to 7, 2022, the bright star Antares will appear about 6 degrees to the left of the waxing gibbous Moon. As night twilight ends at 9:18 p.m. EDT (6:18 p.m. PDT), the Moon will appear about 26 degrees above the south-southwestern horizon. The Moon will set below the west-southwestern horizon about 4 hours later at 1:04 a.m. on Sunday.
August 10.
Wednesday afternoon, August 10, 2022, at 1:10 p.m. EDT (10:10 a.m. PDT), the Moon will be at perigee, its closest to the Earth for this orbit.
August 11: The Full Moon After Next.
The complete moon after next will be Thursday night, August 11, 2022, at 9:36 p.m. EDT (6:36 p.m. PDT). The Moon will appear full for about three days, from Wednesday early morning through Saturday early morning. The planet Saturn will appear near the Moon. Saturn will be near its brightest for the year, which will take place a few days later on in mid-August.
