July’s buck moon peaks this week, and wildfire smoke may turn it orange
This week brings July’s full moon, known as the buck moon, which reaches peak illumination at 10:36 a.m. ET on Wednesday, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanack. Even though the exact peak passes quickly, the moon will look full to the naked eye for about a day on either side of that moment, so there is no rush to catch it at the precise minute.
Viewing conditions will differ depending on where you are. Those in the Northern Hemisphere will see the moon sitting relatively low in the sky, while Southern Hemisphere viewers get a higher vantage point, though still not as high as what June’s full moon offered, according to EarthSky.
Astrologically, this year’s buck moon falls under Aquarius, though it is worth noting that the zodiac sign does not necessarily match the constellation the moon is actually passing through. Noah Petro, who heads the Planetary Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Lab at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, said there is flexibility in how and where people view it, as long as they find a spot away from bright city lights with a clear line of sight to the sky.
Viewers in the Northeast and Upper Midwest may notice something different this time around: the moon appearing more orange or red than usual. That’s being linked to smoke drifting down from wildfires burning in Canada, which has settled into the atmosphere as a haze. Pamela Gay, a senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute, explained that the same smoky layer responsible for dimming daytime skies is also what’s tinting the moon’s color.
As for the name itself, “buck moon” refers to the time of year when male deer begin growing new antlers. Other cultures have their own names for this particular full moon. The Dakota call it the moon of ripe chokecherries, while the Cree know it as the feather-moulting moon.
Petro also drew a connection to NASA’s Artemis II mission, which sent four astronauts on a flight around the moon back in April, describing moments like this full moon as a reminder of humanity’s ongoing connection to what is happening on the moon itself.
Looking ahead, five more full moons remain on the calendar for 2026, with November and December set to bring supermoons, when the moon reaches its closest approach to Earth.
