See The Third And Final ‘Supermoon’ Of 2022 Rising Around The World In A Blaze Of Color

Did you see the full Moon last night?

Rising in blazing oranges and yellows as it appeared on the eastern horizon, here are some of the best photos of the full “Super Sturgeon Moon”—the final “supermoon” of 2022—as seen from all over the globe.

A full Moon occurs every month (a “moonth!) as our natural satellite orbits Earth. At one point it is on the opposite side of the Earth to the Sun so its entire disk is fully illuminated—but for one night only.

A “supermoon” is a full Moon that’s slightly larger than usual. How does that happen? As the Moon orbits the Earth each month it does so in a slightly elliptical, egg-shaped path. So once per month the Moon looks at its largest.

However, it’s only when that point of its orbit coincides with a full Moon that we can see a supermoon. They occur around two to four times per year, but this “Super Sturgeon Moon” is the last supermoon of 2022.

Why is August’s full Moon called the “Sturgeon Moon?” It’s got to do with a name given to it by early Native American tribes living around the Great Lakes, which caught sturgeon fish at this time of year.

It’s easily the worst Moon name because it’s way to geographically-specific. So maybe we should instead use one of the bevy of other names given to it, such as “Green Corn Moon” or “Grain Moon.” The later is an Anglo-Saxon name, as is “Corn Moon” and “Lightning Moon.”

A rising full Moon look orange because of a phenomena called Raleigh Scattering. As you view the Moon through the thickest part of Earth’s atmosphere (as you do when viewing a sunset) the red light’s long wavelength means it strikes fewer particles, so more easily enters your eyes compared to short-wavelength blue light, which strikes more particles and gets scattered.

Did you know the Moon “wobbles?” It it happens because the Moon orbits at different speeds as it goes around the Earth. It’s a direct consequence of the Moon’s elliptical orbit. However, because it rotates at the same speed, it causes it to oscillate.

It’s actually a positive for Moon-gazers because although we only ever see one side of the Moon, that wobble means that over the course of a year allows us to see about 60% of the lunar surface.

Although the full Moon is an incredible object to look at, it’s actually too bright to observe unless you see it when it’s close to the horizon as it rises or sets. It’s actually far better to observe the Moon through binoculars or a small telescope at other times of the month. Whenever you do look for the terminator—where day meets night—which will allow you to see shadows cast from the east to the west on the lunar surface.

With the moon having completed its full phase it’s now time for its Waning Gibbous phase. During this seven-night period it will drop in brightness as its eastern limb–the furthest from the Sun–comes into shadow.

It also rises after midnight, which makes this period excellent for stargazing and astronomy. When it’s half-lit it will be Last Quarter phase, when only the western half of the Moon will be visible and the Mon rises early in the morning.

The next full Moon will be the famous “Harvest Moon,” which will be best seen on Friday, September 9, 2022.

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.