The 4th of July celebrations look a little different this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but sky watchers are still on a special gift for Independence Day. The weekend brings not only a full moon, but also a lunar eclipse.
The lunar eclipse “buck moon” will be visible the night of July 4 until the morning of July 5. Viewers from most of North and South America, as well as parts of southwestern Europe and Africa, will be able to spot the celestial phenomenon.
The event will be a penumbral eclipse, not a total lunar eclipse, which means that part of the moon will pass through the outer part of Earth’s shadow.
According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the full moon in July is called the “buck moon,” because early summer is when male deer develop new antlers. Also called the thunder moon, due to the summer storms that occur in July, the guru moon, and the hay moon.
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According to NASA, the full moon will peak on Sunday morning at 12:30 a.m. EDT. At that time, approximately 35% of the moon will be in partial shade.
The full moon peaks a few minutes later, appearing in front of the sun at 12:44 am EDT. However, it will appear full all weekend, from Friday night to Monday morning.
Clear skies will reveal the moon in all its glory, but moon watchers may need the help of a telescope or binoculars to get the full effect. It’s also possible that the events could be overshadowed by the 4th of July fireworks in the United States, despite warnings of the officials
The weekend of July 4 marks not only the full moon and the lunar eclipse, it also highlights the closest grouping of Saturn, Jupiter, and the moon, forming a triangle of celestial celebration.
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