Stunning Buck Moon to light up UK skies – here’s the best time to see it

Stargazers looking skyward tonight could see an amazing sight. Sunday July 21st is the date the full moon rises this month.

Every month has a full moon, and July’s is the Buck Moon. And at the same time, this month, it will share the sky with Mercury, which will be at its farthest apparent distance from the sun.

Buck Moon’s name is believed to come from Native American culture and the fact that July is the time of year when male deer – known as bucks – begin to grow their antlers. However, according to the BBC’s Sky At Night magazine, that doesn’t mean it will look any different from any of the other full moons of the year. But they are all amazing and worth a look.

What is a full moon?

A full moon is one of the eight lunar phases in which the entire illuminated round face of the moon is visible from earth. It is often considered the most spectacular lunar phase because the most sunlight is reflected from the Moon to Earth.

The eight lunar phases are:

• new Moon
• crescent moon
• the first quarter of the month
• waxing gibbous moon
• full moon
• waning gibbous moon
• the last quarter of the month
• waning crescent moon

Is it the best view of the moon?

Many astronomers don’t think the full moon is as good a sight as other phases. This is because it is so bright that it makes other objects like galaxies or events like meteor showers hard to see.

They often believe that the best times to observe the Moon are during the Crescent and Gibbous Moon phases. This is when the terminator (the line that divides the illuminated and non-illuminated sides of the Moon) casts shadows on the surface, highlighting the surface features.

However, it’s still a striking sight – and one that can be seen with the naked eye. So it’s worth dusting off your binoculars or taking a look without any extra gear as it’s usually a pretty sight.

Where to see it

The magazine says that from the UK, the Buck Moon will rise at 10.05pm and will be visible in the south-east in the constellation Capricornus. It will travel across the southern sky throughout the night, settling in the southwest in the early hours around dawn.