'Buck Moon', the first full moon of summer, to grace skies Thursday night

The name honors the new antlers of buck deer that push out of their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur during the early summer.

Attention all stargazers, the first full moon of this summer rises on Thursday night in the U.S.

The first full moon of July is called a Buck Moon, hailing from the Indigenous Algonquin tribes in the Eastern U.S., according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.  

The name honors the new antlers of buck deer that push out of their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur during the early summer.

The July full moon can also be referred to as a Thunder Moon due to frequent summer thunderstorms, according to the almanac.

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The peak of the full moon occurred just after 4:30 p.m. ET, but the moon will essentially look full for the next two nights. 

Upcoming full moons

Next up on the full moon list will come Aug. 9 when it gets the name "Sturgeon Moon."

Here are the rest of the moon names:

  • September 7: Corn Moon
  • October 6: Harvest Moon
  • November 5: Beaver Moon
  • December 4: Cold Moon

If clouds get in the way or you don’t have the chance to check out the bright lights of a full moon on Thursday evening, you’ll have plenty of chances to stargaze for the month.

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