The Buck Moon in July

Every month of the year there is a full moon which illuminates the sky, each of which is given a different name. Full moons occur when the moon is on the opposite side of the earth to the sun and will appear for two to three nights.

The July full moon in 2024 will rise on Sunday 21 July and gets its name of Buck Moon because the new antlers start to grow on the buck's forehead around this time of year. Bucks are male deer that shed their antlers and grow new ones every year.

Another name for the July full moon is Thunder Moon because there are frequent thunderstorms in the summer.

Hay Moon and Wort Moon are the Anglo-Saxon names for the July full moon. These names are used because the hay harvest takes place in July and Worts is another name for herbs which are gathered and dried at this time of year.

Why a full moon?

Full moons occur every 29.5 days or so as the moon moves to the side of Earth directly opposite the sun, reflecting the sun's rays off its full face and appearing as a brilliant, perfectly circular disk.

A full moon occurs when the moon's earth-facing side is completely illuminated by the sun. Scientists say that when you see the moon looking really large as it rises in the sky your brain is actually playing a trick on you.

There are many reasons as to why this is, but the main theory is that when the moon is low on the horizon it can be compared to earthly things, like buildings and trees, and this is why it seems huge.

Tips for seeing a full moon

Moons rise in the east and set in the west
If viewing from inside your house it is best to turn off lights so as to view the night sky
If outside it is best to go somewhere high so you can see the moon rise above the horizon
Viewing outside is the best and away from street lights and light pollution

Can the full moon affect our sleep?

The moon affects the ocean tides because of gravity and it is often said that full moons can also influence us. Issues with our immune system can be caused by lack of sleep or disturbed sleep. Some people find falling asleep harder during a full moon along with less time spent in a deep sleep. This lack of sleep can sometimes cause people to have worse headaches often called 'moon migraines'.

Moon facts and folklore

The moon's diameter is 2,160 miles
The sun and moon are not the same size
The moon is a lot smaller than the sun
The moon's surface is dark
The moon has quakes
There is water on the moon
The moon has a very thin atmosphere
A person would weigh less on the moon
The dark side of the moon is a myth
We only see the near side of the moon, the other side is the far side
Earth's moon is only place beyond earth where humans have set foot. 12 people have been on the moon.

How did the moon names originate?

There are a total of 12 full moon phases during the annual lunar cycle plus the occasional Blue Moon and each full moon has a unique name.

Many of these ancient moon names have been given based on the behaviour of the plants, animals, or weather during that month.

It is said that they were the names given by Native American tribes and included into our modern calendar. However the full moon names we now use also have Anglo-Saxon and Germanic roots.

The best time to see the full moon in the UK is in the evening after sunset as that is when the moon is closest to the earth. So let's hope we get some clear sky to be able to see the full moon, but it will be visible for a few days around the peak.

Image by Susan Cipriano from Pixabay

Full moons in 2024

Wolf Moon - 25 January
Snow Moon - 24 February
Worm Moon - 25 March
Pink Moon - 23 April
Flower Moon - 23 May
Strawberry Moon - 22 June
Buck Moon - 21 July
Sturgeon Moon - 19 August (Blue Moon and supermoon)
Harvest Moon - 18 September (supermoon)
Hunter’s Moon - 17 October
Beaver Moon - 15 November
Cold Moon - 15 December

The next full moon will rise on Monday 19 August and is the Sturgeon Moon. This is the first supermoon of 2024 and also a Blue moon.