Is it a full moon tonight? The July full Moon, known as the Buck Moon, lit up the night skies across Devon and Cornwall on Tuesday night and was expected to peak at 15:36 BST on Wednesday. Forecasters said people hoping to catch it on Wednesday night would likely be able to see it after dark if skies stayed clear.
Buck Moon over Devon and Cornwall
The Moon has several names. The Royal Observatory in Greenwich also refers to it as the Thunder Moon, a name linked to the summer storms that often happen in July, while the Moon has also been called the Hay Moon after the July hay harvest.
The Buck Moon name comes from Native Americans, who used it for the time of year when male deer, or bucks, grow a new set of antlers. For people in Devon and Cornwall, that gives the July full Moon a local viewing window that runs from the Tuesday night display toward the Wednesday peak.
Weather Watchers catches the Moon
Some Weather Watchers members from Devon and Cornwall caught the Moon on camera on Tuesday night. In Braunton, Devon, it appeared in a clear yellow light. In St Erme, Cornwall, the sun could be seen on the horizon.
Other views showed the Moon looking larger than usual in Brewer, Devon, with another clear view in Plymouth, Devon. In Looe, Cornwall, a navigation beacon was caught balancing the Moon, turning a routine skywatch into a sharp coastal frame.
Wednesday night viewing
The practical takeaway for anyone watching from Devon and Cornwall is simple: the Moon already lit the sky on Tuesday, but Wednesday night depended on the forecast holding after dark. That gave observers a strong chance to see the Buck Moon near its peak at 15:36 BST, with the clearest views most likely once daylight faded.
The Moon’s names do not change what it is, but they do explain why this full Moon draws attention in July. For anyone looking up after dark on Wednesday, the window was there — and the sky needed to cooperate.
