In the late evening today, Thursday 10 July, one of the most anticipated astronomical events of the year will take place: it will be necessary to wait for 22:37 to attend the show of the so -called “sky”Deer moon“, The first pleniline of summer.
A name that derives directly from the ancient traditions of Native Americans, as often happens for astronomical phenomena and pleniluni specifically: as regards the astronomical event of July, the origin is to be reconnected in particular to the algonchine tribes, since this was for them the month in which in male deer they began to regrow the horns stages, waiting for the season of loves. The observation of natural phenomena and the reconnecting to astronomical events has led other native tribes to associate different names to the plenilunio in July: they range from the “moon of the soul of the feathers” for the cree (due to the change of the plumage of some species of birds), to the “moon of salmon” for the TLINGIT (due to their return to the sweet water), up to the “lampone moon” Ojibwe or to the “moon of berries” for the anishinabe (names connected to the period of collection of these fruits) and the “Moon of thunder” for the western Abenaki (due to the roar of summer thunderstorms of this period).
The first full moon Of the astronomical summer it will reach the culmination at 22:37 Italian time: at that moment we can admire the lunar disc in its fullness. Our satellite for the occasion will appear larger and orange than its usual because of the optical phenomenon of the “lunar illusion”, which occurs when the moon is close to the horizon, and this will be even more flashy and suggestive tonight, since in the plenilunio of July it will reach the lowest point of the year. Although, however, the culmination on the evening of 10, the phenomenon will also be visible in the sky on the nights of 9 and 11: the moon will however rise at 21:00 and will remain visible approximately until just before 05.00 in the morning.
To enjoy the best of the show in the sky, it is always advisable to observe from a point as far as possible from artificial lights, even better if with the free horizon towards South-east.
In addition to the “Moon of the Cervo”, in July other suggestive astronomical phenomena are coming, namely the moon with Saturn (on 15E 16), the moon with the open star cluster of the Pleiades (20), Mars with Venus (21), the moon with Jupiter (23) and finally the moon with Mars (on day 28).