The first of four supermoons is set to rise in the sky tonight and stargazers will be looking to the heavens to catch a glimpse of what could be the biggest and brightest moon of the year so far. The July full moon, known as the Buck moon, can be seen from today (July 3) for the next four days.
While the exact moment the moon reached it's peak came early this morning - at 7.38am, beyond line of sight in the UK - for the next few nights, the moon will be larger and brighter in the sky than ever. The moon will be closer than usual, giving stargazers the best shot at a detailed look, or photo, of the satellite.
For those hoping to catch the supermoon in Bristol, early evening is the best time to head out, as the Met Office is forecasting a cloudy night from 10pm onwards in the city, with rain forecast overnight. Do not worry if you do miss it tonight, however - you will get another chance in the coming days.
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The moon is usually around 384,400km away from us. However, because it doesn't orbit the Earth in a circle, but an elliptical orbit, an elongated circle. This puts it closer and further away from us at different points in the year.
The term supermoon refers to a full or new moon which takes place when the moon is within 90 per cent of it's closest distance to us - within 360,000km of our planet. It appears noticeably larger in the sky and is usually much brighter.
July's full moon is known as the Buck moon because of the fresh antlers which grow on a buck's head at this time of year. It will appear in the southeast portion of the sky, in the constellation of Sagittarius.
The best time to see the Buck supermoon will be tonight after 10.14pm - you will not need any fancy equipment to enjoy the sight, but binoculars or a telescope might help. There are several other supermoons this year, all falling in the next several months.
There are two full moons at the start and end of August, both supermoons. Another comes at the end of September, before the moon's orbit moves out of a lunar perigee - when the Earth and moon are closest together.
