The creative names given to full moons at different times of the year are one of the many whimsical and fun elements of stargazing, and the July full moon (which happens this week) is no different: the buck moon.

The naming of full moons is actually a form of ancient calendar used to keep track of what time of year it is based on the lunar cycle, and different full moons throughout the year were named based on things happening in the natural world around that time.

July’s full moon was named for the time of year when male deer (aka bucks) grow new antlers.

Weather in your inbox

Forecast Location

Sign Up

By signing up you agree to the Terms & Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe at any time.

The buck moon is also known as the thunder moon because of the summertime storms that are so common this time of year.

When to take the time to see it

There are two main hurdles to skywatching enthusiasts who are hoping to see this year’s buck moon.

The first is simply bad luck when it comes to timing.

Get More of Our News on Google

Set The Weather Company as a 'Preferred Source' to get quicker access to the news you value.

The full moon peaks at 10:36 a.m. EDT, and unfortunately, the moon will be below the horizon at that time.

That means that, no matter what, if you are in the continental U.S., you will not see the peak of this year’s buck moon.

This brings us to the best time to see the moon for this year: dusk on the evening of July 29, when the skies are dark enough to appreciate the view and the moon is closer to the horizon. This allows you to take advantage of the optical trick known as the “moon illusion,” which means the moon looks larger closer to the horizon because your brain can compare the size to other objects nearby.

(Pro tip: “Civil dusk” refers to the moment that the center of the Sun is 6 degrees below the horizon. You can use The Weather Channel app to check the exact time of sunset and last light for your area.)

Then we get to the second hurdle of this year’s buck moon: the weather.

(15-min details: For even more granular weather data tracking in your area, view your 15-minute details forecast in our Premium Pro experience.)

Unfortunately, this year’s July full moon will be leaning towards the thunder moon moniker, because stormy skies will make it hard for some areas to see the moon at all.

Thunderstorms are possible Wednesday night for parts of the Northern and Central Plains, the Gulf Coast and New England.

The Lower Mississippi Valley is also facing potentially cloudy conditions around dusk on Wednesday, so your view could be blocked.

Even if you can’t see it when it’s at its fullest, the moon at least appears full for a couple of days before and after the peak, so it’s worth it to take some time to go outside and enjoy. Just check the forecast beforehand to make sure the moon is above the horizon and clouds are at a minimum.

Sara Tonks is a content meteorologist with weather.com and has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Georgia Tech in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, along with a master’s degree from Unity Environmental University in Marine Science.