How to see July's full Buck Moon as it rises in the night sky

Image source, Anadolu via Getty Images Image caption, The name Buck Moon was used because the timing coincided with when male deer grew new antlers By Tomasz Schafernaker BBC Meteorologist Published 26 July 2026 Updated 2 hours ago The July full Moon, also known as the Buck Moon, will light up the night sky across the UK on Wednesday. The second of three full Moons this summer, it is set to peak at 15:36 BST on 29 July. The exact moment of its maximum fullness will be missed across the UK as the Moon will be just below the horizon. However, skygazers won't miss out; it will still appear as-full to the naked eye overnight on Tuesday and Wednesday. Why is it called the Buck Moon? Image source, PA Image caption, In 2023 the Buck Moon was also a supermoon - where it appears to be much larger than normal As with the other full Moons across the year, it gets its name from events happening in nature around the same time. Full Moons were given nicknames around the world as people used them to help keep track of time and monitor the changing seasons. The July full Moon gets its name from the time of year when male deer, or bucks, rapidly grow a new set of antlers. The Royal Observatory in Greenwich also refers to this Moon as the Thunder Moon, due to the summer storms that often happen in this month. Other names include the Hay Moon, after the July hay harvest , external . Will I be able to see it? Based on current forecast models there is a good chance of seeing the Buck Moon across much of the UK on Wednesday night. For most of England the weather will be very mild, with light winds and largely clear skies after dark so viewing conditions should be favourable. Across north-west England and Wales the remnants of a cold weather front might obscure the sky, but very little rain is expected and the cloud could break. In Northern Ireland the weather is expected to be a little more mixed, with variable cloud, the odd shower and some clear spells. Scotland though is likely to see the largest amount of cloud, especially in western areas. Eastern and northern districts will have better luck with clear spells between any showers. Check out latest UK forecast here What else is happening in the summer sky? The Buck Moon is just one of a number of celestial sights to look for this summer. The Perseid meteor shower is also active throughout the rest of July and much of August. The peak takes place overnight on 12 August into the predawn hours of 13 August. The shower will also coincide with a spectacular solar eclipse , external . The 12 August eclipse will be the first total solar eclipse visible over mainland Europe since 1999, with Spain and northern Portugal being the only places to see totality. In the UK, we will be able to see a partial eclipse when the Moon will cover around 90% of the Sun at its peak. A partial lunar eclipse will then follow in the early hours of 28 August. More on this story Monthly Outlook Published 3 days ago Is there a hosepipe ban in my