Thunder Moon to pass through Earth's shadow on Tuesday during partial lunar eclipse
The full moon for the month of July is known as the Thunder Moon for its frequent thunderstorms at this time of year. It will also come during a partial lunar eclipse, making it a "Half-Blood Thunder Moon."
Thunder will fill the sky on Tuesday night as July’s full moon, known as the Thunder Moon, glows brightly.
Onlookers stepping outside on Tuesday night will be able to see Saturn and Jupiter just off to the right of the moon most of the night, making it a great night to set up a telescope.
“This full Moon [is] known as the Thunder Moon because thunderstorms are so frequent during this month,” the Old Farmer’s Almanac explained on their website.
July’s full moon is also referred to as the Buck Moon, as this is the time of year when new antlers begin to grow on bucks’ heads. Other names for this month’s full moon include the Ripe Corn Moon, the Hay Moon and the Old Moon.
Additionally, this month will also feature a partial lunar eclipse for part of the globe.
A plane passes by as the moon sets over trees during a phenomena that combined a supermoon, a blue moon and a lunar eclipse in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
During a partial lunar eclipse, only part of the moon passes through Earth’s inner shadow (umbra), so only part of the moon appears dark while the rest remains illuminated by the sun.
The partial lunar eclipse will last for nearly three hours, starting at 8 p.m. GMT and ending around 11 p.m. GMT Tuesday night.
The partial phase will be surrounded by the penumbral phase when the moon passes through the Earth’s outer shadow (penumbra). However, this phase is difficult to detect and is not as noticeable as the partial phase.
Unfortunately, North America will be the only area of the world that will not be able to see the eclipse. The next time that a large swath of North America is able to see a lunar eclipse will be on the night of July 4 into the early morning of July 5, 2020.
Two weeks after the Thunder Moon Eclipse, July will conclude with a Black Moon.
A Black Moon is the second new moon in a calendar month. This is similar to a Blue Moon, which usually refers to the second full moon in one month.
However, unlike a Blue Moon, this month’s phenomenon will not be visible as the part of the moon that is illuminated by the sun during a new moon is facing away from the Earth.
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