July’s full moon, also known as the Buck Moon, will illuminate the sky in the early morning hours on Sunday, July 21, 2024. This month’s full moon gets its name from the time of year when male deer grow their antlers. The antlers fall off every winter and regrow during the summer months.
The full moon occurs when the moon is directly opposite the sun, causing the nearside of the moon to be fully illuminated. In July, the full moon is also referred to as the Squash are Ripe Moon by the Algonquin, the Moon of the Young Corn by the Potawatomi, and the Raspberry Moon by the Anishnaabe. The complete lunar cycle, from new moon to full moon and back, takes around 29.5 days.
Did you know that animals in the deer family, such as deer, elks, and moose, grow antlers made of bone that shed annually? Unlike horns, which are grown by bovine animals, antlers have the fastest bone growth rate in the world, with adult white-tailed deer antlers growing as fast as a ¼ inch per day.
Keep an eye out for the next full moon on Monday, August 19, 2024, known as the Sturgeon Moon, symbolizing the abundance of fishing during that time.
If you’re interested in capturing a stunning picture of the moon, make sure to keep your camera steady and use the right settings for a proper exposure.
Vocabulary List:
- Illuminate /ɪˈluː.mɪ.neɪt/ (verb): To light up or make clear.
- Antlers /ˈænt.lərz/ (noun): Branching structures on the heads of male deer made of bone.
- Nearsides /ˈnɪr.said/ (noun): The side of an object that is facing someone or something.
- Illuminate /ɪˈluː.mɪ.neɪt/ (verb): To light up something.
- Symbolizing /ˈsɪm.bə.laɪz.ɪŋ/ (verb): Representing or serving as a symbol for something.
- Exposure /ɪkˈspoʊ.ʒər/ (noun): The condition of being exposed to something especially light.
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