Here Comes the Full Buck Moon
The Full Moon in July - known as the Buck Moon - is coming up. It reaches peak illumination at 2:38 P.M. Eastern Time on Wednesday, July 13, 2022. July’s full Buck Moon orbits closer to Earth than any other full Moon this year, making it the biggest and brightest supermoon of 2022! At its nearest point, the Buck Moon will be 222,089.3 miles (357,418 km) from Earth. That’s in contrast to its average distance of about 240,000 miles (385,000 km).
The celestial mechanics are such that the Full Moon will rise in the Northeast around 8:57 P.M. ET (at sea level in the SE (check out the Farmer’s Almanac Moonrise Calculator)
In practice you will have to wait an extra 10 minutes or so to see the full Moon poke above the eastern horizon—but it’s worth the wait!
Learn more about our full moon rituals:
Why is it Called the Buck Moon?
Full Moon names come from several places, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred.
Several other names for this month’s Moon also reference animals, including Feather Molting Moon (Cree) and Salmon Moon.
Plants are also featured prominently in July’s Moon names. Some of our favorites are Berry Moon (Anishinaabe), Moon When the Chokecherries are Ripe (Dakota), Month of the Ripe Corn Moon (Cherokee), and Raspberry Moon (Algonquin, Ojibwe).
The full Moon in July is called the Buck Moon because the antlers of male deer (bucks) are in full-growth. Bucks shed and regrow their antlers each year, producing a larger and more impressive set as the years go by. - Farmer's Almanac
How to Watch for the Full Moon Rise
A stunning and impactful natural event, the sight of a moonrise is hard to beat in summer skies.
Once you’re armed with the exact timings, get yourself to a place that has a clear view low to the eastern horizon (if possible). Somewhere high is good—one or two stories up but not blocked by buildings—as is a coastal location.
The bright star Altair in the constellation Aquila the Eagle can be found near the moon on this night. Saturn will be rising not long after the moon.
How the Zodiac Influences the Moon’s Energy
For many of us who live in concert with Nature’s rhythms, the Full Moon is one of the most magical of times -- an ideal occasion for becoming intentional and for creating change.
The Moon orbits one full turn around the Earth in 28 days. And as it does, it passes through each of the Zodiac signs for about 2 to 2 1/2 days.
The sign of the Moon on any given day broadcasts a subtle emotional undercurrent.
Just as our personalities can be described in terms of the position of the Sun and Moon at the time of birth, the changing moods and energies of our daily lives can be correlated with the passage of the Moon through the Zodiac each month.
Although any Full Moon can mark a time for manifestation, it is helpful to know which sign of the Zodiac the Full Moon is in, and how that effects the energies at work.
Like the mystery of the lunar pull, it's hard to put your finger on … it’s also not scientifically proven … yet it can serve as a good guideline in terms of whatever goal or intention we’ve set out for ourselves.
For example, if you’d like to increase prosperity, your Full Moon meditation would be enhanced by an earth-sign Moon (particularly Taurus); a Cancer Moon might also be appropriate. An air-sign Moon would be less effective, because of the emphasis on the mental rather than the tangible. You could, however, use the energy of an air-sign Moon to stimulate productive conversation with an employer, which might lead indirectly to monetary rewards.
Full Moon in Capricorn
Capricorn represents the goat climbing the mountain. It’s tenacious and resilient. It represents your personal power. Capricorn is all about hard work. Those born under this sign are more than happy to put in a full day at the office, realizing that it will likely take a lot of those days to get to the top. That’s no problem, since Capricorns are both ambitious and determined: they will get there. Life is one big project for these folks, and they adapt to this by adopting a businesslike approach to most everything they do.
Capricorns are practical as well, taking things one step at a time and being as realistic and pragmatic as possible.
Those with a Capricorn zodiac sign are extremely dedicated to their goals, almost to the point of stubbornness. Those victories sure smell sweet, though, and that thought alone will keep Capricorns going.
While the Moon is in Capricorn, the Sun is in Cancer. The Capricorn Moon/Cancer Sun opposition is a balancing act between your career and outer authority (Capricorn) and your home life and emotional security (Cancer). Cancer is a sensitive water sign, so be prepared for emotions to bubble up.
Want to join us for our next Full Moon ritual?
COME CELEBRATE with us!