STARGAZERS AROUND IRELAND are to feast their eyes on a larger and brighter “supermoon” tonight.
The “Buck supermoon” can be viewed in Ireland from 10.25pm this evening.
“A supermoon occurs at the time a full moon is closest to Earth,” according to Chairman of Astronomy Ireland and Editor of Astronomy Ireland magazine, David Moore, making it appear 30% brighter.
The moon orbits around the earth in an elliptical or “egg-like” shape, Moore said, meaning that our distance from it is constantly changing.
The Buck Moon represents the moon arriving at its closest point to the Earth for 2022, meaning it will be the brightest supermoon of the year .
It will also be the biggest moon of 2022 and will appear two to three times larger when rising, Moore said.
This phenomenon is caused by an optical illusion, known as the “moon illusion”.
July’s full moon is known as the Buck Moon because male deer shed and regrow their antlers around this time of year.
According to Moore, the name originates from native American tribes who utilised full moon patterns as a calendar.
“The July full moon is always called the Buck moon,” Moore said.
“Every full moon has its own name. The most famous one is [arguably] the September full moon – known as the Harvest moon.”
According to Moore, its name comes from a time “long before electric lights”, when people were trying to harvest crops outside, and the glow from the moon shed enough light on the field to allow them to keep working.
“Tonight’s supermoon will be visible from the north pole to the south pole, and all the points in between,” Moore said.
Astronomy Ireland magazine is asking people to send photos or written comments of their observations for publication in a special review of the event to their website, www.astronomy.ie.
It will be visible until moonset at 5.20am tomorrow morning.
“You have about 7 hours, so keep an eye on it… take pictures and get creative,” Moore said, adding that the moon will be full again tomorrow night, so there will be a second opportunity to view it from about 11.10pm.
With reporting from PA.
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