Behold the Full Buck Moon!
July’s full Buck Moon rises after sunset on Sunday, July 21! See more information about July’s Full Moon, from why we call it the “Buck” Moon to the best days for activities based on the Moon’s sign and phase in July.
When to See the Full Moon in July 2024
July’s full Buck Moon will rise on Sunday, July 21, reaching peak illumination at 6:17 A.M. Eastern Time. It will be below the horizon at that time, so plan to look towards the southeast after sunset to watch it rise into the sky.
→ Consult our Moonrise and Moonset Calculator to see precisely when the Buck Moon will be visible in your area!
Read Next
Why Is It Called the Buck Moon?
The full Moon names used by The Old Farmer’s Almanac come from a number of places, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not solely to the full Moon.
The Buck Moon
The full Moon in July is called the Buck Moon because the antlers of male deer (bucks) are in full-growth mode at this time. Bucks shed and regrow their antlers each year, producing a larger and more impressive set as the years go by.
Alternative July Moon Names
Several other names for this month’s Moon also reference animals, including Feather Moulting Moon (Cree) and Salmon Moon, a Tlingit term indicating when fish returned to the area and were ready to be harvested.
Plants are also featured prominently in July’s Moon names. Some of our favorites are Berry Moon (Anishinaabe), Moon When the Chokecherries are Ripe (Dakota), Month of the Ripe Corn Moon (Cherokee), and Raspberry Moon (Algonquin, Ojibwe).
Thunder Moon (Western Abenaki) and Halfway Summer Moon (Anishinaabe) are alternative variants that refer to the stormy weather and summer season.
→ See all 12 months of full Moon names and meanings.
Moon Phases for July 2024
Note that the Moon phase dates/times below are in EDT.
→ See our Moon Phase Calendar to customize dates and times to your location.
.png){kind=small} | New Moon: July 5, 6:57 P.M. EDT |
.png) | First Quarter: July 13, 6:49 P.M. EDT |
.png) | Full Moon: July 21, 6:17 A.M. EDT |
.png) | Last Quarter: July 27, 10:52 P.M. EDT |
→ For the next full Moon, see our Full Moon Dates chart.
July’s Full Buck Moon Video
In this video, we explain the traditional names of the Full Moon along with some fascinating Moon facts. Learn about the Full Buck Moon, why July is such an important month in Moon history, and how scientists measure the distance from Earth to the Moon. Click below to watch the video.
Best Days in July 2024
Below are the best days for activities, based on the Moon’s sign and phase in July.
| Activity | Best Days |
|---|---|
| Cutting Hay | 25-27 |
| Pick Fruit | 9-11 |
| Fishing | 5-21 |
→ See Best Days for more activities.
Moon Facts
- On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first person to step foot on the Moon. He also placed the U.S. flag there.
- On July 31, 1999, the ashes of the astrogeologist Eugene Shoemaker were deposited on the Moon.
We leave you with a poem by James N. Matthews (1852–1910):
A moon-flooded prairie; a straying
Of leal-hearted lovers; a baying
Of far away watching dogs; a dreaming
Of brown-fisted farmers; a gleaming
Of fireflies eddying nigh, —
And that is July!
Share your thoughts about this month’s Moon below!
Catherine Boeckmann
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My husband and I watched the moon come up over the horizon. It was dark strawberry in color, then blood plum, tangerine and then grapefruit. He doesn't get too excited over the moon rising and tonight he couldn't stop telling me to look; truly mesmerizing.
Good afternoon,
Where is it that I may order a print of the Full Buck Moon print?
Looking forward to hearing some great news of where I may find this amazing print.
Lynda Sue
Hi Lynda,
Prints of our Full Moon graphics are not currently for sale, but we will let you know if they do become available!
We have a small town beach on the north shore of Long Island Sound about 5 minutes by car from our home. We love to take iced tea and go down to watch the sunset on hot evenings and take a late dip, and wave across the water at Connecticut on the mainland. On one side of the small parking lot is the Sound, and on the other, a brackish large pond. There is a 365 degree of the horizon (plus or minus a few trees on the periphery), so it's a great spot to sky watch as well. We were down the other evening and I saw a number of sparkling lights arising from the tree line on the other side of the pond. At first, it appeared that fireflies had awakened for their evening flights. Then it became clear that the lights were airplanes arriving and leaving Kennedy airport, about 30 miles away on the south shore. When the fireflies did begin to arise from the reeds and weeds at the pond's edge it looked like the sky was filled with twinkling glitter. Aaaahh, July on Long Island!
I was taught this poem as a child in the 1950s and have never forgotten it. I have been unable to find who wrote it so maybe it was a family creation, passed down from one generation to the next.
Look at the Moon with its orange glow,
So round and big and oh, so low,
It seems to hang on a nearby tree,
Like a shining apple, meant for me,
I reach out my hand, but hard as I try,
Alas, I can't pluck it, it's far too high.
My brother suggested I might like this website. He was entirely right.
This post actually made my day. You can not imagine simply how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!
I love watching full moon videos...fun information. Amy does a very nice job as the host!
July July such thoughts with a sigh, we look for truth, so we find it within. Emotions and insecurites fly, and this is how we see hopelessness, but we find ways to thrive.
I am a late comer to an interest in studying astronomy. I am 74. I enjoyed your fascinating article. Tonight with my binoculars I was able to see the Moon and near it to the southwest was what I believe was the planet Jupiter.
How wonderful to hear, Judith! If you get this message, tonight (July 15), you’ll see Saturn very very near the almost-full Moon. Easy to spot! It will be coupled with the full Moon on the 16th, too.
