Look to the sky on 4th of July to see the first full moon of summer

There will also be a partial penumbral lunar eclipse, NASA officials say

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The start of a lunar eclipse is viewed from Merritt Island, Fla. Eclipses occur when the Sun, Earth and Moon line up. They are rare because the Moon usually passes above or below the imaginary line connecting Earth and the Sun. The Earth casts a shadow that the Moon can pass through - when it does, it is called a lunar eclipse. (National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA Official: Rodney Grubbs, Copyright 2020 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.)

SAN ANTONIO – Fireworks won’t be the only reason to look to the sky on the Fourth of July!

According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the first full moon of the summer, otherwise known as the Buck Moon, is taking to the skies just before the midnight hour on Saturday.

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There will also be a partial penumbral lunar eclipse, NASA officials said. The event is set to happen around 11:44 p.m., Saturday, July 4.

🌕 Buck Moon, Thunder Moon, Guru Moon This weekend’s celestial event goes by many names, but one thing is for sure –...

Posted by NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration on Friday, July 3, 2020

NASA officials said the moon will be close enough to opposite the Sun that its northern edge will pass through the shadow of the Earth. This process is known as a partial penumbral eclipse.

The moon will appear full for about three days around the eclipse, from Friday evening into Monday morning, and NASA officials said this will be a full moon weekend.

To learn more about the eclipse, visit NASA’s website here.

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About the Author:

Cody King is a digital journalist for KSAT 12. She previously worked for WICS/WRSP 20 in Springfield, Illinois.