Keep your eyes to the sky for the Buck Moon lunar eclipse over Fourth of July weekend
Fireworks won’t be the only reason to keep close watch on the sky over Fourth of July weekend.
A full moon and partial lunar eclipse will occur late July 4 or early July 5, depending on your location.
The moon, often referred to as the Thunder or Buck moon, will become full at 12:44 a.m. Eastern Time on July 5, NASA reported.
The lunar eclipse will start a little earlier on July 4 at 11:07 p.m. Eastern Time, reaching maximum eclipse at 12:30 a.m. on July 5 before concluding at 1:52 a.m., according to NASA.
At its peak, about 35% of the moon will be covered, the agency said.
The event is called a penumbral eclipse, which is different than a total lunar eclipse, CNET reported.
During a total lunar eclipse, the moon can look as though it’s entirely covered in red. This weekend, only a piece of the moon will appear darker than usual as it catches a portion of the Earth’s outer shadow, known as the penumbra, according to the outlet.
During this weekend’s eclipse, NASA says “the slight reduction in brightness on part of the Moon will be difficult to notice with the human eye.”
The full moon in July is called a Thunder moon because thunderstorms are common during the month, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. It’s also known as a Buck moon because its the time of year a buck’s antlers are in “full growth mode.”
