This Monday night may be your best chance to see a supermoon in Seattle!
Only three or four supermoons appear in the sky every year. The last supermoon was June’s Strawberry Moon, but if you missed that (possibly due to Seattle’s famously cloudy weather) you have a second chance this month! July’s full moon is called the Buck Moon and it happens to also be a supermoon.
You’ll be able to see the Buck Moon in Seattle on the evening of Monday, July 3 if the skies are clear—and since summer is typically the best time for skywatching in Seattle, your chances are good for once.
Read on for everything you need to know about this week’s Buck Moon in Seattle!
July’s full moon is called a Buck Moon because it’s the time of year that male deer (or bucks) grow their new antlers. This year’s Buck Moon happens to coincide with extra-close proximity to Earth, making it a supermoon. Although this week’s supermoon will likely appear somewhat brighter and larger, it’s not always a noticeable difference to the naked eye. Using a telescope or viewing the moon when it is closest to the horizon will make the spectacle more impressive.
The Buck Moon is due to rise in Seattle at 10:15 p.m. on Monday evening and will reach its highest point in the sky at 1:06 a.m. It will set at 6:14 a.m. on Tuesday morning.
Unable to get outside to see the Buck Moon in Seattle this week? Follow a livestream by the Telescope Project.
The next supermoon will occur in August. In fact, this year we have two supermoons in August: the Sturgeon Moon on August 1 and the Blue Moon on August 30. So mark your calendar now!