Here is what you need to know about the phenomenon.
Those who gaze into the Irish skies over the next two nights are set to see the first supermoon of 2023.
Astronomy Ireland is urging everyone in the country to go out on the nights of Monday, 3 July and Tuesday, 4 July to witness a ‘buck supermoon’.
According to NASA, a supermoon occurs when the moon is full and its orbit is at its closest point to Earth. When this happens, the moon winds up appearing slightly brighter and larger than a regular full moon.
Meanwhile, a buck moon is a full moon that rises in July. Its title is said to originate from the traditions of some Native American tribes who named the moon after male deer, also known as bucks, whose antlers begin to develop at this time of the year.
In a statement, Astronomy Ireland said this week’s supermoon will be “30% brighter than at other times”.
As such, it is calling for members of the public to take photos of the celestial event and then send them into the astronomy society so that it can possibly publish them in an upcoming issue of its magazine.
“We are urging everyone to get creative and send us your photographs of the SuperMoon rising at approximately 10.45pm Monday, or tomorrow night at 11.20pm Tuesday,” said the magazine’s founder and editor David Moore.
“This is the first of four supermoons that occur in 2023 so there is a very exciting season of supermoon watching ahead.”
Photos of the supermoon rising can be sent to Astronomy Ireland via the email address [email protected].
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