The clearest views of July’s full moon in the U.S. will be on the West Coast, Great Plains and Midwest, CNN meteorologist Jennifer Gray said. A cold front will move across the southeastern US on July 12 and 13, possibly bringing thunderstorms and rain across the region. Parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado are also expecting storms early this week, he added. “Unlike some astronomical events, there’s not (a case) where you have to look at it right now or you’ll miss it,” said Noah Petro, head of NASA’s Planetary Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Laboratory. “There’s no time you have to look at it to maximize your enjoyment of the full moon. If it’s cloudy and you don’t want to be outside, just go one of the later evenings.” For the clearest view of the moon, Petro recommended avoiding areas surrounded by tall buildings and dense forest. The Old Farmer’s Almanac calculator can help you find out what time the moon rises and sets in your location. This full moon is better known as a buck moon because male deer, or bucks, fully grow their antlers in July, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Bucks’ antlers shed and regrow each year, growing as the animals grow. July’s full moon is known by other names. The Tlingit people refer to it as the salmon moon, as the fish often returned to the Pacific Northwest coast around this time and were ready for harvest. For the Western Abenaki, it is the thunder moon, in reference to the frequent storms at this time of year. In Europe, the July moon is often called the hay moon for the hay production season in June and July, according to NASA. July’s full moon corresponds to the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain festival of Guru Purnima, a celebration to clear the mind and honor spiritual and academic gurus.
To Petro and other space enthusiasts, this moon is called the Apollo 11 moon. Apollo 11 was the first mission to put humans on the lunar surface. The mission launched on July 16, 1969 and landed on the moon on July 20, 1969. There will be five more full moons in 2022, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac: • August 11: Sturgeon Moon • September 10: Harvest Moon • October 9: The hunter’s moon • November 8: Beaver Moon • December 7: Cold moon These are the popular names associated with monthly full moons, but the meaning of each may vary among Native American tribes.

Eclipses of the Moon and the Sun

There will be another total lunar eclipse and a partial solar eclipse in 2022, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Some solar eclipses occur when the moon passes in front of the sun but blocks only part of its light. Be sure to wear proper eclipse glasses to view solar eclipses safely, as sunlight can damage the eye. A partial solar eclipse on October 25 will be visible to those in Greenland, Iceland, Europe, northeast Africa, the Middle East, western Asia, India and western China. This partial solar eclipse will not be visible from North America. A total lunar eclipse will also be present for those in Asia, Australia, the Pacific, South America and North America on November 8 between 3:01 A.M. ET and 8:58 A.M. areas of North America at that time.

Meteor showers

Check out the rest of the meteor showers that will peak in 2022: • Southern Delta Aquariids: July 29 to 30 • Alpha Capricornids: July 30 to 31 • Perseids: August 11 to 12 • Orionides: October 20 to 21 • Southern Taurides: November 4 to 5 • Northern Taurides: November 11 to 12 • Leonidas: November 17 to 18 • Gemini: December 13 to 14 • Ursids: December 21 to 22 If you live in an urban area, you may want to drive to a place that isn’t filled with city lights to get the best view. Find an open area with a wide view of the sky. Make sure you have a chair or blanket so you can look straight ahead. And give your eyes about 20 to 30 minutes — without looking at your phone or other electronics — to adjust to the dark so meteors are easier to spot.