4th Of July ‘Buck Moon’ Is Third Lunar Eclipse Of 2020, Second In Weeks And First Visible In The US

(Source Forbes.com)

July is a great month to go stargazing. Sure, the nights are pretty short at northern latitudes in the northern hemisphere, but now the summer solstice has passed, they’re getting longer. This month begins with a “Buck Moon Eclipse,” but after that subtle sight it’s all about planets. The solar system’s two gas giants —Jupiter and Saturn—both reach opposition this month. Add a two-for-one meteor shower, some sparkling summer constellations and a chance to see the Milky Way, and it’s going to be quite a month for backyard astronomy fans. Here’s what not to miss in the night sky in July 2020:

Visible from the whole of North America, this penumbral lunar eclipse is going to be a subtle sight. What will happen is that a slither of the full Moon—about a third of it, in fact—will appear to be a little dim for a few hours as it passes through Earth’s outer, fuzzy shadow in space—our planet’s penumbra. It peaks at 9:29PM Pacific Time on July 4.