Topline
When is the next full moon? The full buck moon will turn full on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, with the best views from North America to be had as it rises in the southeast during dusk. Named for the time of year when male deer regrow their antlers, this is the second full moon of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s also an important celestial marker, arriving just two weeks before a total solar eclipse on Aug. 12, one of the biggest sky events of the year, and four weeks before a partial lunar eclipse.
Key Facts
The Strawberry Moon reaches its exact full phase at 10:37 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, while it’s still below the horizon as seen from North America.
July’s full moon is most commonly called the Buck Moon in North America, where the antlers of male deer (bucks) are in full-growth. It’s known by Cree people as the Feather Moulting Moon and by Tlingit people as the Salmon Moon, according to Almanac.
This full moon is the final full moon before the Aug. 12 total solar eclipse, whose path of totality crosses northern Russia, eastern Greenland, western Iceland, the Atlantic Ocean, northern Spain and the small northeastern corner of Portugal.
Best Time To See The Full ‘Buck Moon’ Rise
The best evening to watch the buck moon rise will be Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at the exact time of moonrise where you are. To see the full moon at its best, find an elevated location, an open field or a coastline with a clear view of the southeastern horizon.
This month delivers strong timing across the U.S., with moonrise falling close to sunset in both New York and Los Angeles.
- New York City: sunset at 7:50 p.m. EDT, moonrise at 8:33 p.m. EDT (full moon is at 10:37 a.m. PDT).
- Los Angeles: sunset at 7:57 p.m. PDT, moonrise at 8:18 p.m. PDT (full moon is at 7:37 a.m. PDT).
The night before, the moon rises before sunset while the sky is still very bright. The night after, it rises much later, when the sky is already dark.
Buck Moon Sets Up A Total Solar Eclipse
Two weeks after shining fully lit in Earth’s night sky, the buck moon will become new and pass directly in front of the sun to create a total solar eclipse. During the event, the moon’s dark central shadow will sweep from the Arctic to the Mediterranean, via northern Russia, eastern Greenland, western Iceland, the Atlantic Ocean and northern Spain, with a tiny corner of Portugal also inside this path of totality. Totality will last up to about 2 minutes 18 seconds near Iceland. During totality only, eclipse glasses can come off, and the sun’s corona — its faint outer atmosphere — becomes visible to the naked eye. Much of Europe, northwestern Africa, Canada, and parts of the northern U.S. will see a partial solar eclipse. During all partial phases, certified eclipse glasses or solar filters are essential. The eclipse also coincides with the peak of the Perseids meteor shower overnight on Aug. 12-13.
Background
The buck moon is the eighth of 13 full moons in 2026. Why? A solar year lasts about 365 days, while a lunar year is about 354 days, so some calendar years contain 13 full moons. The next full moon will be the Sturgeon Moon on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, which coincides with a deep partial lunar eclipse, the best lunar eclipse anywhere on Earth until Dec. 31, 2028. During the Aug. 27–28 event, 96.% of the moon will pass into Earth’s dark umbral shadow, making it appear dimmed and reddish-orange — though there will be no totality, so it won’t be a true “blood moon.”
