The July full Moon, also known as the Buck Moon, will light up the night sky across the UK in the coming week. The second of three full Moons this summer, it is set to peak at 15:36 BST on 29 July, but unfortunately, 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; the Moon will still appear as full to the naked eye overnight on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Buck 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. Based on current forecast models, there is a good chance of seeing the Buck Moon across much of the UK on the night of 29 July, particularly in central, southern and eastern areas where skies are expected to remain largely clear.
England can expect settled weather with largely clear skies after dark, while Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland may see variable cloud, the odd shower and some clear spells. The Buck Moon is just one of a number of celestial sights to look for this summer, including the Perseid meteor shower and a partial solar eclipse on 12 August.