Full Moon field guide · UK dates
The Buck Moon
A midsummer almanac name linked with the annual growth of new antlers on male deer.
What Buck Moon means
Buck Moon is July's common almanac label, referring to the season when a buck's growing antlers are prominent. Hay Moon and Herb Moon are among the alternative names recorded in European traditions.
The Moon remains comparatively low over the UK, though the nights begin to lengthen after the solstice.
These are popular English-language almanac names rather than a single universal cultural calendar. NASA’s Moon phase guide describes the modern naming usage. Seasonal descriptions here follow the northern hemisphere; southern seasons are reversed.
Next occurrence · Europe/London
Sun, 18 Jul 2027
Exact full Moon: . Brown lunation 1293.
Three-year almanac
Buck Moon dates, 2026–2028
| Year | Date and time · Europe/London | Lunation | Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1281 | Open month | |
| 2027 | 1293 | Open month | |
| 2028 | 1305 | Open month |
02
What to notice from the UK
Observe on the evening before exact full Moon as well: the bright disc rises a little earlier and is easier to frame with the landscape.
Check local rise and set for the next Buck Moon
The disc looks full on the nights around the exact instant. A low Moon may look larger or warmer because of perspective and the atmosphere, not because its phase changed.
03
Other recorded labels
Almanacs do not share one universal naming system. This month is also listed as After Litha in an Old English grouping and Moon of Claiming in a modern Celtic-revival grouping.