July's full moon coincides with the anniversary of a special lunar event

July’s full moon will peak this weekend and coincides with a special lunar event. Known as the buck moon because male deer grow their antlers at this time of year, it can be viewed on Saturday to mark the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. NASA’s Planetary Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Laboratory chief encourages people to go outside and admire the full moon as a celebration of the historic mission. The full moon can be observed with the naked eye, and a clear view of the sky is recommended for optimal moon gazing. The moon exhibits variations each month due to libration and its elliptical orbit. In addition to the full moon, Saturn, Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus can also be observed in the early morning hours during July. NASA’s Artemis program aims to return astronauts to the moon and establish a lunar outpost for further exploration and discoveries about the moon.