A Half-Blood Thunder Moon Will Light Up Tonight’s Sky

Today, July 16, 2019, marks 50 years since NASA launched the Apollo 11 lunar mission. In case you needed another reason to look up at the sky on this date, tonight's Moon will be a special one. It's the only full moon of July, and in some parts of the world, it will appear partially eclipsed, making for a rare half-blood thunder moon, according to Space.com.

The meaning of the name thunder moon has nothing to do with lightening and storm clouds. The full moon of each month of the calendar year is given a special nickname from folklore. January's is a wolf moon, March's is a worm moon, and June's is a strawberry moon. The full moon that appears in July is commonly called a thunder moon, because thunderstorms are frequent this time of year, but it can also be referred to as buck moon because July is when deer antlers are at their fullest.

There's another factor that makes tonight's Moon worth watching. Starting at 2:43 p.m. EDT, the Moon will enter a partial lunar eclipse. That means part of the full moon will pass through the shadow of the Earth, making one section of it appear darker than the rest. A full lunar eclipse is known as a blood moon due to the reddish hue it takes on in our planet's shadow. Tonight's event isn't a full eclipse, so it's being called a half-blood moon even though it may not take on a coppery tone. The partial lunar eclipse will reach its peak at 5:30 p.m. EDT, and conclude at 8:17 p.m. Unfortunately that means the eclipse won't be visible from the U.S., but spectators in Europe, Africa, South America, and parts of Asia will get to see the full show.

July is shaping up to be an exciting month for stargazers. On July 9, Saturn reached opposition, making it look especially large and bright in the night sky. The planet is no longer at peak visibility, but it will be easy to spot with the naked eye from now through September. If you're already planning at looking up at the Moon tonight, here's how to find Saturn at the same time.

[h/t Space.com]