Photo: Claudio Divizia (Shutterstock)
Every month has a full moon, but only July can claim the moon, which is named after an animal with majestic antlers: the buck moon. This month is already a blockbuster for celestial events with the Perseid meteor shower at its core. But this month’s full moon provides yet another reason to keep your head skyward – and luckily, for anyone venturing outside (or looking out the window), it’s almost impossible to miss.
When is the buck moon?
The July full moon will rise just after sunset on the 23rd and will peak at 10:37 p.m. ET. According to Space.com, it will appear full the night before and the day after, so folks with the eight phases of the moon won’t really be able to tell the difference.
This moon is called the Buck Moon because “the male deer (Bucks) antlers are in full growth mode at this point. Bucks lose and regrow their antlers every year and over the years produce a larger and more impressive set, ”she said Peasant almanac. The moon is named in honor of these powerful antlers, although several other nicknames have followed this moon over the centuries (which is generally the case with full moons). Indian tribes have given the moon various names over the centuries in July, which are listed in the following peasant almanac:
Berry moon (Anishinaabe), Moon when the chokecherries are ripe (Dakota), Month of the ripe corn moon (Cherokee) and Raspberry moon (Algonquin, Ojibwe).
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In the southern hemisphere, where it is currently winter, the July full moon has different names that indicate the cold weather. How Earthsky Notes, these names are: Wolf Moon, Old Moon and Ice Moon.
This is how you see the Buck Moon
You must look to the southeastern horizon to see Buck Moon rise, and fix your eyes there to see it peak on the 23rd. The Farmer’s Almanac offers a moon rise calculator to tabulate your direct coordinates in relation to the moonrise, but all you can do is look up at the sky like humans have done for millennia.
