July's full moon — named for the velvet antlers male deer grow each summer, not its colour. The lore, why it rides low and golden, and how to see it.
The name comes from Algonquin and other Native American traditions. Early summer is when male deer — bucks — push out their new antlers, which they shed and regrow every year; by July they grow fast in soft velvet. The same moon is also called the Thunder Moon for July's frequent storms, and the Hay Moon for the haymaking season.
July's full moon falls just after the summer solstice, so — like June's Strawberry Moon — it sits opposite a high Sun and takes one of the lowest paths of the year across the southern sky. A low Moon shines through more atmosphere, picking up a warm amber-gold tint near the horizon, and the 'moon illusion' can make it look strikingly large at moonrise.
Get a closer look
A beginner telescope or good astronomy binoculars bring the Moon's craters and phases into stunning detail.
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