July Supermoon 2023: Here’s How to See the First One of the Year and Take Photos

The first Supermoon of the year hits the skies this week. Here's how to see it.

One of the easiest-to-spot celestial bodies is coming in full, bright, and at its closest this Monday night, and it would be the first Supermoon of the year out of the four lined up.

Save the date, July 3rd, as you can see it all night long, with its peak coming this Monday, illuminating the night and morning sky with its appearance.

July Supermoon 2023: Here’s How to See the First One of the Year and Take Photos
The first Supermoon of the year hits the skies before Independence Day. Here's how to see it. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Supermoon July 2023: Here's How and When to Spot It This July 3

According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the first Supermoon event of the year is coming this July 3. July's full moon, also known as the Full Buck Moon, will rise on Monday as a Supermoon.

It was named the Buck because it is the same time when the antlers of male deer (bucks) are in full-growth mode. All male deer follow a yearly cycle of shedding and regrowing their antlers after their first growth.

Supermoon results from the moon being closer to Earth at the time of a full moon. On July 3, the Buck Moon will be 224,895.4 miles or 361,934 kilometers from Earth at its nearest point, compared to its average distance of around 238,000 miles (382,900 km).

During a Supermoon event, a regular full moon appears about 7% to 14% larger and 30% brighter. However, these differences are typically not noticeable to the human eye unless one pays attention to the moon every night.

The full moon on Monday will reportedly reach peak illumination below the horizon at 7:39 a.m. ET. If weather conditions permit, you can view this celestial event by looking to the southeast after the sun sets.

According to the almanac, there will be two supermoons in August, including a blue moon. August's Blue Moon will reportedly be the only Supermoon closer to our planet this year.

How to Take a Photo of the Supermoon with a Smartphone

Being the day before July 4th, the Supermoon should make for dazzling fireworks displays. Using only your smartphone, you can capture this moment to hold onto special memories or post it on social media.

According to Indy 100, it is easy to set your smartphone to get the best photo of the Supermoon this Monday, and it is by turning off the flash and turning on the HDR. It is also important to focus on the moon by tapping the subject on the screen to get the best shot.

It was also advised not to zoom in as much to capture the Supermoon to not ruin the quality. Pro tip: you can also turn off the Night Mode to avoid any alterations to the image, which would typically illuminate more of the objects or elements around the Supermoon.

The Buck Supermoon of July

Last July 2022, a Supermoon also happened, when a full moon significantly seemed closer to humans because of its size, and this Full Buck Moon always appears in the first month of the year's second half.

Last year's July Supermoon was deemed as the largest of the year. It became a perfect opportunity for those fascinated by space and the general public to take photos of the cosmic event through a smartphone camera, capturing its full glory. The Full Buck Moon was also regarded as the brightest illumination of the celestial body.

Whether you are out in the city or by open fields, the Supermoon will illuminate the sky and bring its marvelous sight to the world right before 2023's Independence Day.

Isaiah Richard
TechTimes
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