Get Ready for the “Deer Moon” and Perseid Meteor Shower This Week

The July full moon is known as the “Deer Moon,” so named because male deer’s antlers are in full growth at this time after their annual shedding process, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Other less common names given to the July full moon include “Feather Moult Moon,” “Salmon Moon,” “Berry Moon,” and “Ripe Corn Moon.”

The Buck Moon will reach its peak illumination at 6:17 a.m. ET on Sunday, July 21, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

The next full moon, in August, will be a supermoon known as the “Sturgeon Moon.”

This week also marks the start of the Perseid meteor shower, which is active each year from mid-July to late August. According to Space.com, the meteor shower will peak on the night of August 12.

At their peak, the Perseids can produce between 150 and 200 meteors, or shooting stars, per hour.