MILWAUKEE— After the Bucks’ NBA Championship win, even the moon will have special significance Friday night.

July’s full moon is traditionally called the Buck Moon. That full moon will happen Friday, July 23.

What You Need To Know

  • July’s full moon, happening tonight, is traditionally called the Buck Moon

  • The name Buck Moon comes from the Algonquin tribes. Bucks shed and re-grow their antlers every year, and July is when they’re in the middle of growing

  • This won’t be the kind of lunar viewing you need a telescope to see

  • Tonight's moonrise will be at 7:51 p.m. tonight, but according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the moon will be its brightest at 9:37 p.m.

 

“All the full moons have traditional names from many different cultures,” said Dixie Burns, an instructor at Madison Area Technical College who teaches science and astronomy. “Most of our full moon we recognize from the Farmer's Almanac, where names come from Native American tribes.”

The name Buck Moon comes from the Algonquin tribes. Bucks shed and re-grow their antlers every year, and July is when they’re in the middle of growing. It signifies their independence and ability to defend themselves.

“It’s the time of year when bucks are starting to get their antlers,” Burns said. “So they start to get these furry antlers this time of year, and that’s one way of recognizing the moon.”

Friday’s Buck Moon could even have a special glow, thanks to the wildfires out west and in Canada.

“[A wildfire] adds more dust particles to the atmosphere. And you have dust particles in the atmosphere, it affects ligh,” Burns said. “For example… the blue light waves, let's say, bounce off of those particles easier. We call it scattering, which allows the reds and the oranges to pass through, [and be] easier to see.”

That’s part of why sunsets have been beautiful for the last week or two, with an added orange haze.

“If you have more dust, [scattering] ends up being more dramatic,” Burns said. “This moonrise at about sunset tomorrow night might be more colorful as well. Maybe more orange, and more red in color than usual.”

This won’t be the kind of lunar viewing you need a telescope to see. It’ll light up the sky.

“It should be really pretty with a telescope or even with the naked eye, because during the day, it gives you kind of this whitish haze, which is not real pretty,” Burns said. “But when you get to rises and sets for the sun or the moon, it really does add some wonderful colors.”

Tonight's moonrise will be at 7:51 p.m., but according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the moon will be its brightest at 9:37 p.m.