The July 2023 supermoon will be the first of four supermoons to rise this year. It will be 14,000 miles closer to Earth than a typical full moon event, making it appear about 7% larger and 15% brighter. The full moon will rise on Monday, July 3, and reach peak illumination below the horizon at 7:39 a.m. ET.
The moon’s orbit around Earth is not a perfect circle, but rather an ellipse. This means that the moon’s distance from Earth varies throughout its orbit. When the moon is closest to Earth, it is called a perigee. When the moon is farthest from Earth, it is called an apogee.
A supermoon occurs when a full moon coincides with the moon’s perigee. This means that the moon appears larger and brighter than usual. The July 2023 supermoon is also known as the buck moon, as it is the time of year when male deer’s antlers are growing.
If you are able to see the July 2023 supermoon, be sure to look for it in the southeast sky after the sun sets. It will be the brightest full moon of the year!