This holiday weekend, heaven has a special gift in store, in addition to fireworks.
The July “Buck” full moon will rise on the night of Independence Day, and will be accompanied by a penumbral eclipse. However, the lunar event on July 4 will be quite subtle, as penumbral eclipses are one of the least spectacular and most difficult to notice types of eclipse.
Twilight eclipses occur when the moon crosses through Earth’s shadow edge, the twilight, causing a slight dimming of a small portion of the moon, writes the Farmer’s Almanac.
For those who witnessed the full moon last month, the same type of penumbral eclipse occurred. This lunar eclipse, unfortunately, will be even more subtle, as an even smaller portion of the moon will be dimmed by twilight.
The phenomenon will additionally only be visible from certain parts of the world. Most Americans, excluding those in the northernmost regions of Alaska and Canada, will technically be able to see the eclipse from 11:04 pm EST on July 4 until 1:56 a.m. on July 5. However, those who look with naked eyes without training You may not perceive the attenuated difference.
While the full moon of the month that coincides with July 4 is a fun coincidence, the fireworks, both randomly, courtesy of the blocking revelers, and planned, courtesy of Macy’s, will likely cloud the sky with colorful explosions, toxins. and smoke, further obscuring the full moon and its partial eclipse.
This modern pyrotechnic reality contrasts sharply with the origins of the traditional nickname for the July full moon, Buck Moon. Native Americans assigned this name based on the fact that one dollar antlers are in “full growth mode” at this time of year, according to the Farmer’s Almanac. Another name for the moon, Thunder Moon, which references the frequency of thunderstorms in July, feels more relevant to recent weather patterns and non-stop explosions in the sky.
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