July 26-29, 2026: Follow the Full Buck moon as it brightens summer evenings near Sagittarius and Capricornus. Learn when opposition occurs and where to find the moon during its brightest nights.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Venus as an Evening Star
Full Buck Moon
The bright Buck moon, this season’s Full moon, is in the southeastern sky after sunset. It is named for the time of year when the antlers of male deer begin to grow. While the seasonal Full moon carries this name, the term is commonly applied to the bright gibbous phases leading up to and following the Full phase, especially when the moonlight is bright enough to illuminate terrestrial features.
During the next few nights, the bright moon appears in front of Sagittarius and Capricornus. The Archer’s brightest stars resemble a teapot. In this moonlight, use a binocular to locate the stars.
Capricornus’ stars are dimmer. In a darker sky, the constellation resembles an inverted “Star Trek” insignia.
Full Moon
The moon is opposite the sun — at the Full phase — at 9:36 a.m. Central Time on July 29, after it sets in the Americas. At opposition, sunlight shines nearly directly onto the Earth-facing side of the moon. The moon is closest to opposition during the evening of July 28 and the morning of July 29. The Full moon rises at sunset, appears in the southern sky near local midnight, and sets in the west around sunrise.
Many calendars note the phase on July 29, reflecting the popular notion that the seasonal Full moon occurs after sunset on the day the moon is opposite the sun. There is some nuance to the name because the astronomical phase occurs at a specific moment, while many sky watchers associate the Full moon with its evening appearance after sunset rather than its visibility before sunrise.
Highlights
Here’s what to see:
• July 26: The gibbous moon, 94% illuminated, is nearly 16° above the south-southeast horizon. It is in front of the Teapot near the lid.
• July 27: The 98% illuminated moon is less than 15° above the southeast horizon, to the lower left of the Teapot.
• July 28: The bright Buck moon is about 10° above the southeast horizon, nearly 11° to the lower right of Algedi, the Kid, a star in Capricornus.
• July 29: The bright moon is nearly 6° above the east-southeast horizon, over 12° to Algedi’s lower left.
During the warmer summer evenings, look for the Full Buck moon in the evening sky. Stand outside for a few minutes to become adapted to the darkness, then take a walk without artificial illumination by the light of the Full moon.
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