The Buck Moon, also known as July's full Moon, which is the first supermoon of 2023, rose shortly after sunset on the evening before US Independence Day.
The term "supermoon" was coined by astronomer Richard Nolle in the 1970s to describe a new or full Moon that occurs when the Moon is within 90% of its closest approach to Earth, known as perigee.
According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, the full Buck Moon was exceptionally close to Earth, reaching a distance of just 224,896 miles at its nearest point. This distance is around 14,000 miles closer than an average full Moon.
The name "Buck Moon" originates from The Maine Farmers' Almanac, which began assigning names to full Moons in the 1930s. During this time of year, deer often shed their old antlers and begin growing a new set, hence the association with bucks.
Additionally, the Buck Moon is sometimes referred to as the "Thunder Moon" due to the high frequency of thunderstorms in the early summer months.
Let's take a look at how people around the world experienced the Buck Moon and their perspectives on this celestial event:
Here’s what July's full 'Buck Moon' looked like around the world pic.twitter.com/qC2TKZfD6J
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 5, 2023
Photo: The #BuckMoon #supermoon rises behind a #NewOrleans streetcar making its way Uptown on Sunday evening. pic.twitter.com/VSNyEhqeSl
— Michael DeMocker (@MichaelDeMocker) July 3, 2023
A full #buckmoon appeared on Monday night, leaving many people across China in awe of the first #supermoon of the year and also reportedly the lowest-hanging full moon seen since 2006. pic.twitter.com/LC983uai9S
— People's Daily, China (@PDChina) July 4, 2023
