July's full moon rises in Indiana soon. Here the best time to watch it in Indianapolis
Here's what skywatchers should know.
Thursday, July 10, 2025, is when the full Buck Moon charges its way into the night sky, according to NASA. The moon's phases in July are:
🌓 First Quarter: July 2.
🌕 Full Moon: July 10.
🌗 Last Quarter: July 18.
🌑 New Moon: July 24.
Story continues after photo gallery.
According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, moonrise for the Indianapolis area will happen by roughly 9:39 p.m. Thursday, July 10, crossing the meridian at 1:19 a.m. before setting at 5:46 a.m. Friday.
You can check moonrise and moonset times for your zip code by visiting the Old Farmer's Almanac online.
Skies around Central Indiana could be cloudy Thursday night, July 10, with temperatures around 68 in the evening, according to an advanced forecast from AccuWeather. Midwest weather tends to be fickle, however, so keep your fingers crossed for clearer skies.
And in case you miss it Thursday, look up again Friday or Saturday night, when the moon will still be 99% and 97% full, respectively.
A male deer, or buck's antlers were in full growth mode around this time in July, writes the Old Farmer's Almanac. Other names for July's full moon from Native American tribes include the Salmon Moon, Thunder Moon, and Halfway Summer Moon.
The Milky Way can best be viewed somewhere far away from bright city lights. Find a dark, safe spot out in the country where you can see more stars in the sky.
If possible, head to Beverly Shores, near Gary, which is an International Dark Sky location and therefore an excellent place for stargazing. You can also travel to Kemil Beach at Indiana Dunes State Park and Dr. T.K. Lawless County Park in Michigan, which also are designated dark sky locations, according to DarkSky International.
According to NASA, traces of the Milky Way will appear as a "faint, cloud-like band arching across the sky toward the south."
The following free astronomy apps can help you locate stars, planets, and constellations.
SkyView Lite for iPhone | Google Play
Star Walk 2 for iPhone | Google Play
Star Chart for iPhone | Google Play
for iPhone | Google Play
The full Sturgeon Moon should reach peak illumination by Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025.
When is the next full moon?: When every full moon shines in 2025. Dates, times and the history behind each name.
John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: July 2025 full moon: The best time to see it in Indiana
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