Look up! Buck Moon rising Thursday night, Perseids meteor showers to peak in August
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — You might be looking up quite a bit over the next month! First up, we have the Buck Moon rising tonight. We are expecting mostly clear skies in the Valley, so there should be some good views, especially later into the night.
Why is it called the Buck Moon? The Buck Moon is a common name for the July full moon in North America because July is a time of year when the antlers on male deer grow rapidly.
The July full moon takes a low arc in the sky, which is the opposite of the high path carved out by the sun. This image from EarthSky.org illustrates this point.
Moon arc and sun arc in July
In August, the Perseids meteors showers will peak. Here is a picture of the Perseids from 2024.
Perseids Meteor Shower
Technically, the Perseids will be active from July 17 to August 23. However, the peak of the showers will occur from August 11 to August 13. The best time for viewing will be during the pre-dawn hours, but the moonlight may create some interference.
During the peak nights, the moon will be in a waning gibbous phase. This means that the moon has a look that is “almost full.” Therefore, try blocking out the moon from your view with your hand or an object in the distance.
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