July's full Buck Moon set to light up UK skies this week

The July full Moon, known as the Buck Moon, will light up the night sky across the UK this week, peaking at 15:36 BST on 29 July.

Although the exact moment of maximum fullness will occur below the horizon, skygazers won't miss out—the Moon will still appear completely full to the naked eye overnight on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Buck Moon gets its name from the time of year when male deer rapidly grow new antlers. It's also called the Thunder Moon, reflecting the summer storms common in July, or the Hay Moon after the July harvest.

Much of the UK is expected to have good viewing conditions on 29 July. Central, southern and eastern areas should see largely clear skies, while northern and western parts may have more variable cloud but should still get clear spells.

According to BBC meteorologist Tomasz Schafernaker, England will see settled weather with clear skies after dark, very mild temperatures and light winds—making conditions particularly favourable for moon-watching.

Gilbert