Stargazers and astrophiles from Los Angeles to Istanbul rushed out Monday night to see the first supermoon of the year. It did not disappoint.
The supermoon, which was even with amber and red hues, was 14,000 miles closer to Earth than typical full moons. A supermoon — the term was coined in 1979 by the astrologer Richard Nolle, and it’s not an official astronomical term — can be about 17 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than a full moon at the zenith, or farthest point from Earth.
Here are some fast facts about supermoons and images from around the world.
From Monday evening to Tuesday morning, the supermoon was the talk of social media, with enthusiasts sharing photos of it behind skylines and above landmarks.
In some locations, including Kansas City, Mo., the supermoon provided a unique backdrop for fireworks displays on the eve of US Independence Day.
While the supermoon was fully seen by many, it was obscured by clouds and other weather in some cities, including in Rome, where clouds partially obscured it over the Forum.
July’s full moon is sometimes referred to as the buck moon because male deer antlers grow rapidly at this time of year, adding as much as a quarter inch per day, according to the Farmers’ Almanac, the collection of folk wisdom and facts.
This month’s full moon is also referred to as a thunder moon because of the frequent thunderstorms that accompany early summer, NASA said.
Native American tribes named each moon to mark a particular point in the year, according to Western Washington University. Some used words to describe the color of July’s moon and called it a raspberry moon or a ripe corn moon, while others associated it with summer weather and called it a hot moon.
Monday night’s supermoon was the first of four this year. According to NASA, two more are coming in August and another in September.
The last supermoon of 2022, the Sturgeon Moon, flooded social media last August and thrilled stargazers.
