July Full Moon

photo - NASA

The names associated with our full moons are frequently derived from the names given by the indigenous peoples that inhabited North America.  The tribes used a calendar to track the seasons by means of the names given to the return of a full moon.    

In the northern hemisphere July is the stormiest month of the year and for that reason the full moon that greets us tonight is called the Thunder Moon.  

This moon is also called the Buck Moon in recognition of the rapidly-growing, velvet-covered, antlers of the whitetail deer. 

With the arrival of European settlers two additional monikers come to mind:  the Meade Moon which coincides the harvest of honey used to ferment this drink and the Hay Moon as the first cuttings of fodder occur.      

You can learn more about the Full Moon here.