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Full Buck Moon: Supermoon in July 2023 | The Old Farmer's Almanac

Buck Moon: Full Moon in July 2023

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Colleen Quinnell/The Old Farmer's Almanac

Behold the Full Buck Supermoon!

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July’s full Buck Moon rises after sunset on Monday, July 3—the eve of Independence Day! This is also a supermoon that will appear bigger and brighter than average. See more information about July’s Full Moon from why we call it the “Buck” Moon to best days by the Moon.

When to See the Full Moon in July 2023

July’s full Buck Moon will rise on Monday, July 3, reaching peak illumination at 7:39 A.M. Eastern Time. It will be below the horizon at that time, so plan to look towards the southeast after sunset to watch it rise into the sky. Being the day before the Fourth of July, it should make for dazzling fireworks displays!

→ Consult our Moonrise and Moonset Calculator to see precisely when the Buck Moon will be visible in your area!

Behold the Full Buck Supermoon!

July’s full Buck Moon orbits closer to Earth than many of the other full Moons this year, making one of the four supermoons of 2023! At its nearest point, the Buck Moon will be 224,895.4 miles (361,934 km) from Earth, which means that August’s Blue Moon will be the only supermoon that is closer to our planet this year. 

While a supermoon is technically bigger and brighter than a regular full Moon, it only appears about 7% larger—which can be an imperceptible difference to the human eye, depending on other conditions. 

→ Want to really see a huge full Moon? Read about the “Moon illusion” to discover how and when to look for one!

Why Is It Called the Buck Moon?

The full Moon names used by The Old Farmer’s Almanac come from a number of places, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not solely to the full Moon.

The Buck Moon

The full Moon in July is called the Buck Moon because the antlers of male deer (bucks) are in full-growth mode at this time. Bucks shed and regrow their antlers each year, producing a larger and more impressive set as the years go by.

Alternative July Moon Names

Several other names for this month’s Moon also reference animals, including Feather Moulting Moon (Cree) and Salmon Moon, a Tlingit term indicating when fish returned to the area and were ready to be harvested.

Plants are also featured prominently in July’s Moon names. Some of our favorites are Berry Moon (Anishinaabe), Moon When the Chokecherries are Ripe (Dakota), Month of the Ripe Corn Moon (Cherokee), and Raspberry Moon (Algonquin, Ojibwe).

Thunder Moon (Western Abenaki) and Halfway Summer Moon (Anishinaabe) are alternative variants that refer to the stormy weather and summer season. 

→ See all 12 months of full Moon names and meanings.

Moon Phases for July 2023

Note that the Moon phase dates/times below are in EDT

→ See our Moon Phase Calendar to customize dates and times to your location.

July Moon Phase Dates and Times
Full Moon: July 3, 7:39 A.M. EDT
Last Quarter: July 9, 9:48 P.M. EDT
New Moon: July 17, 2:32 P.M. EDT
First Quarter: July 25, 6:07 P.M. EDT

→ For the next full Moon, see our Full Moon Dates chart.

July’s Full Buck Moon Video

In this video, we explain the traditional names of the Full Moon along with some fascinating Moon facts. Learn about the Full Buck Moon, why July is such an important month in Moon history, and how scientists measure the distance from Earth to the Moon. Click below to watch the video.

Best Days in July 2023

Below are the best days for activities, based on the Moon’s sign and phase in July.

ActivityBest Days
Cutting Hay9, 10
Pick Fruit20-22
FishingJuly 17- August 1

→ See Best Days for more activities.

Moon Facts

  • On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first person to step foot on the Moon. He also placed the U.S. flag there.
  • On July 31, 1999, the ashes of the astrogeologist Eugene Shoemaker were deposited on the Moon.

We leave you with a poem by James N. Matthews (1852–1910):

A moon-flooded prairie; a straying 
Of leal-hearted lovers; a baying 
Of far away watching dogs; a dreaming 
Of brown-fisted farmers; a gleaming 
Of fireflies eddying nigh, —
And that is July!

Share your thoughts about this month’s Moon below!

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprise that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann