When it's July's full moon, the bright Stag Moon will light up this month's sky
It's almost time for the next full moon, the full moon in July, which will light up the summer nights. The Deer Moon will be a spectacle, but it will make spotting shooting stars more complicated, at least for a few days.
There is now little time left for the Full Moon in July, and there is great anticipation for this astronomical event which will brighten up the summer nights far from the cities, while offering very beautiful views for those who find themselves in residential areas. It will be the seventh full Moon of 2024 and is known as the Stag Moon. This was the name given to the full moon in July by Native Americans.
How often does the full moon occur?
An average of 29 days, 12 hours and 44 minutes pass between two full moon moments. This time interval is called the synodic month, or lunation, or lunar month. It is the time it takes for the Moon to realign its position with the Sun and Earth again.
This interval is an average, because there are irregularities in the lunar motion. The synodic month should not be confused with the sidereal month, which is the time it takes the Moon to rotate around the Earth 360°.
The Full Moon of July 2024
The last full moon occurred on 22 June, and the next full moon will be Sunday, 21 July.
On 21 July we will therefore have a new full moon, which is particularly awaited because it occurs in the middle of summer when it is easier to enjoy the night outside the walls of a home.
Full moon and shooting stars
The Full Moon in July will be a spectacle, without a doubt, but it will make observing the starry sky a little more complicated. In fact, the great spectacle of the shower of shooting stars begins in July.
There will be many meteor showers, as we have indicated in this article, and although less impressive than those of August, with the Perseid meteor shower, they are still an event not to be missed. However, the full moon on 21 July will make spotting meteors a little less easy.
The next full moons of 2024
When will we have the next full moon in 2024? Below is the list with the dates, from July to December.
- 21 July, 2024
- 19 August, 2024
- 18 September, 2024 (Supermoon)
- 17 October, 2024 (Supermoon)
- 15 November, 2024
- 15 December, 2024
Will it be "Supermoon"?
The word "Supermoon" is not an official scientific term, although it has become widespread in the mass media in recent years to indicate a 'perigean full moon', i.e. a full Moon which occurs at the moment of maximum proximity between the Moon and the Earth.
In fact, over the course of the year the distance between the Moon and Earth varies from a minimum of 356,400 km (perigee) to a maximum of 406,700 km (apogee). This variation is not large enough to be clearly appreciated by the human eye, but can be appreciated if you have references or if you use telescopes.
There is always great anticipation for the "Supermoon", but in 2024 the phenomenon will occur in autumn, not in summer. We will therefore have to wait a few more months.