BALTIMORE, MD—The first full moon of astrological summer will rise on Wednesday night, and it will be the second supermoon of 2022.

It will also be the largest supermoon of the year.

“Supermoon” is a loose term that refers to a new or full moon that is within 90 percent of its closest point to Earth, as coined by astrologer Richard Nolle.

“Supermoons shine about 16 percent brighter and appear 6 percent larger than an average full moon” writes geophysicist Chris Vaughan, an amateur astronomer with SkySafari Software who oversees Space.com‘s Night Sky calendar.

The Buck Moon, also called the Thunder Moon, or Hay Moon, will reach its full phase at 2:38 p.m. EDT or 11:38 a.m. PDT (18:38 GMT), according to Vaughan. It will shine brightly between the constellations of Sagitarrius and Capricornis.

When the moon is at its closest point to Earth, known as its perigee, it is around 226,000 miles away. At its furthest point, known as its apogee, the moon is around 251,000 miles away.

At its closest point, the full moon appears about 17 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than the faintest moon of the year, according to Newsweek.

The next full moon will occur on August 11 and is known as the “Sturgeon Moon,” according to Space.com.  It will also be a supermoon — the final one of the year.

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