July’s Buck Full Moon rises this week – and it may appear red in the night sky

The following full moon fast approaching, rising into the night sky on Friday, July 23. And it may appear a reddish orange tint – not because of an eclipse, but because of the forest fires that are spreading in the western United States

Huge Forest fires burn in several western states, but winds carry the smoke much further, drifting through New York and the tri-state area and create colorful sunrises and moonrises across the region.

The continuous haze means this month’s full moon might have the same orange glow.

According to the Farmer’s Almanac, full moons traditionally derive their names from Native American cultures, and some are also referred to by their American and European colonial names. The July full moon is known as the “male moon” – marking the time of year when new male deer antlers grow on their foreheads – named by the Algonquin tribes in what is now the Northeastern United States

The July full moon has also been referred to as the salmon moon, thunder moon, hay moon, feather moulting moon, berry moon, and mead moon.

How to watch

The full moon arrives on Friday evening, July 23, rising after sunset and reaching its maximum illumination at 10:37 p.m. ET, according to NASA. Look southeast to see it rise on the horizon.

The moon will appear for about three days around the peak, from Thursday evening to Sunday morning.

You can find the exact moonrise and moonset times for your location at timeanddate.com.

“As usual, wearing appropriate celestial attire is encouraged in honor of the full moon,” said Gordon Johnston of NASA.

Gordan warns that sky watchers should be especially careful when looking to spot the full moon this month, due to thunderstorms frequent this time of year.

“A good rule of thumb to follow is that if you hear thunder, you can be struck by lightning,” he said.

From Friday evening to Saturday morning, the full moon will move toward Saturn, with the planet appearing about 8 degrees above the moon in the southwest at morning twilight. Throughout the weekend, the moon will appear to be moving further and further away.

This summer is full of heavenly wonders. Saturn will be at its closest and brightest on August 2, while Jupiter will be at its closest and brightest on August 19, known as “opposition.”

With clear conditions and a telescope, the four bright moons of Jupiter, Ganymede, Callisto, Europe and Io will be visible. The rings of Saturn and its larger moon, Titan, can also be spotted during this time.

For meteor showers, the southern delta-aquariids are active from around July 12 to August 23, peaking on July 30. But the most impressive Perseid meteor shower runs from July 17 to August 24, with a peak in the afternoon of August 12.