July's Buck Moon Reaches Full Illumination at 10:36 a.m. EDT on July 29

Q: With the Buck Moon outshining meteors, what other cosmic wonders can backyard astronomers spot near it on July 29th?

Even with the Buck Moon washing out most meteors on July 29, backyard astronomers still have several bright targets worth seeking out. Near the moon in the evening sky, the easiest companion will be the Summer Triangle — the bright stars Vega, Deneb and Altair — visible to the moon’s upper left. Off to the moon’s right, observers should also be able to pick out Antares, the reddish supergiant in Scorpius. Planets will offer some of the best viewing. Venus will shine low in the western sky at sunset, bright enough to stand out despite twilight. Before dawn, Saturn, Mercury and Mars will line up in an arc, with Saturn especially rewarding through a telescope because its rings, though still seen at a shallow angle, remain visible. Mars should also be easy to find in the predawn sky, and Mercury will be reappearing low in the east. With binoculars or a telescope, Uranus and Neptune may also be possible for experienced observers, though they are much harder targets under bright moonlight. The moon itself is also a prime object. Its full face will be brilliant, and telescope users can try identifying major maria and, in the days just after full moon, some of the regions associated with Apollo landing sites as shadows begin to return. What will be hardest to see are the Southern Delta Aquariid and Alpha Capricornid meteors, along with faint deep-sky objects, because the Buck Moon’s glare will overpower them.

3 articles · Updated · Space.com · Jul 2

The July full moon peaks at 10:36 a.m. EDT on July 29, marking the first full moon of summer and appearing fully lit opposite the sun.
Sunset on July 29 offers the best viewing, with the moon rising in the east near Capricornus and often seeming unusually large and yellow-orange near the horizon.
That oversized look comes from the Moon Illusion, while the warmer color is caused by Rayleigh scattering filtering out more blue light through Earth's atmosphere.
Buck Moon is one of several traditional July names tied to seasonal change, alongside Raspberry Moon, Thunder Moon and Hay Moon, and the date also aligns with Guru Purnima and Asalha Puja.
Moonlight will wash out fainter sky objects, but viewers can still spot the Summer Triangle, Antares, Venus after sunset, and Saturn, Mercury and Mars before dawn.