Glorious Buck Moon will light up night sky this week - when and how to see it
The Buck Moon is set to be the seventh full moon of 2025, coming hot on the heels of last month's eye-catching Strawberry Moon which enthralled Scots stargazers as it bathed in a reddish hue against the night sky.
The Buck Moon is the farthest full moon from the sun all year and one of the lowest in the sky. This celestial spectacle is an exciting moment for those who track the lunar cycle with interest.
Our Moon's significance to Earth and space exploration is profound. NASA values it as a pivotal proving ground for future deep-space adventures, testing emerging technologies and methods essential for traversing the cosmos.
So, with the first full moon of astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere about to rise, when can we expect to see the Buck Moon, where will it appear in UK skies, and how did it get its unusual and intriguing name?
What is the Buck Moon?
A full moon is opposite to the sun in the sky, so it mirrors its position.
When the sun is highest in the sky - as it was on the Summer Solstice on June 21 - the moon is at its lowest.
This therefore makes the Buck Moon one of the lowest-hanging full moons of of the year.
The Buck Moon will also be the farthest full moon from the sun because Earth's orbit of the sun is slightly elliptical.
On July 3, Earth was at aphelion, its farthest point from the sun on its orbital path.
Since the next full moon is on the side of Earth facing away from the sun, it is the farthest full moon of the year.
When will see the Buck Moon?
The full moon will grace our skies on Thursday, July 10 at 22:09 BST, BBC Sky at Night has confirmed.
The next full moon, the Sturgeon Moon, will rise on Saturday, August 9, 2025.
Where and how can we see the Buck Moon?
The Buck Moon will rise in the south-southeast, and will be located within the constellation Sagittarius, inside its Teapot star pattern. Sagittarius is one of the most famous summer constellations in the Northern Hemisphere.
This constellation lacks bright stars, though, so don't expect to see any close to the full moon.
The best time to see the full Buck Moon will be at moonrise, at dusk, on Thursday evening, when the moon will appear on the eastern horizon as an orange orb.
Scots can use a moon calculator to determine the exact time they should look for the moon from their location.
If you want to see the Buck Moon rising this week, you'll need a clear horizon unobstructed by trees or buildings.
Why is it called the Buck Moon?
Each full moon through the year has a nickname.
Familiar names amongst the annual series of full moons include the Wolf Moon, Snow Moon, Flower Moon, and Harvest Moon. The etymology of the Buck Moon is credited to Native American traditions.
As per the Royal Greenwich Museums (RMG), the name traces back to natural wildlife patterns: "Male deer, which shed their antlers every year, begin to regrow them in July, hence the Native American name for July's full moon."
This particular lunar event is also known as the Thunder Moon due to the frequent summer storms occurring in July. Alternative titles like the Hay Moon are derived from agricultural cycles such as the hay harvest in the same month.
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