Lunar Lovers Rejoice: 2023’s First Supermoon to Showcase Moon’s Closest Encounter with Earth

In April, we reviewed with you the astronomical phenomena that would take place in this year 2023. While we have already had a couple of meteor showers and a couple of eclipses (both lunar and solar), so far we had not been able to witness any supermoon. But that changes today.

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Today, on July 3rd, we have the opportunity to witness the first supermoon of the year, known as the Buck Moon. Unlike other full moons, today’s moon will appear larger and much brighter to viewers.

According to CNN, the Buck Moon will reach its maximum illumination at noon, 13:39 UTC. However, due to the special conditions of this supermoon, those who cannot see this astronomical phenomenon during the day can still observe it tonight, albeit with slightly less brightness.

“A supermoon is when the Moon appears slightly larger in our sky,” explains Dr. Shannon Schmoll, director of the Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University. “Since the Moon orbits around the Earth, it’s not a perfect circle. So, there are points in its orbit where it is slightly closer or farther away from Earth.”

Supermoons are just a phenomenon that we humans perceive. When the Moon reaches a full moon phase while being at a point in its trajectory where it is very close to Earth, our satellite appears much larger, and it is referred to as a supermoon.

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The striking thing about today’s supermoon, the first of the year, is that it will also be the largest of 2023, as it will be only 361,934 kilometers away from Earth, nearly 22,531 kilometers closer than an ordinary full moon.

If you happen to miss it, don’t despair, as the next supermoon is coming up very soon on August 1st, and you’ll have the opportunity to see our satellite like never before.

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