The next full moon is set to appear tonight – or more accurately, in the early hours of Saturday morning.
It’s called a Buck Moon – sometimes a Thunder Moon – as it’s the seventh of the year.
But does that explain why the moon’s been looking orange over the last few nights?
And is there a good way to capture the natural phenomenon on camera, given that it’s so hard to snap a great picture of the moon?
Here’s what you need to know.
What is the Buck Moon exactly?
Every month has one full moon – and the seventh, taking place in July, is called the Buck Moon.
It has a bunch of alternative names, too. You may have heard of Thunder Moon, Hey Moon, Wort Moon or even Berry Moon.
There’s no specific date for the Buck Moon each year as the lunar cycle takes place over 29-and-a-half days.
But it’s a pretty cool sight if you can spot it.
In 2021, keep your eyes peeled in the early hours of Saturday, July 24, for the best view.
Why does the moon look orange?
Over the last few nights, people have taken to Twitter to express surprise that the moon looks orange.
On first thought, it would seem a smartphone isn’t the best choice for taking a photograph of something so far away.
But if you have an iPhone 11 or 12, your camera should automatically switch to Night Mode when you’re snapping away in low light.
If it doesn’t, Apple has a guide to using Night Mode to take pics here.
You could also try a smartphone app to help get the perfect moon shot – such as the simple-to-use Moon Globe, recommended by Sky At Night magazine.
The experts at Sky At Night also suggest an easy technique called afocal photography.
Any iPhone or smartphone users with access to a decent telescope can try taking their photo through its lens. Nothing else needed!
For pro shots, consider using a professional-standard camera, such as a DLSR, and shoot with a long lens.
To get a real close-up shot, you’ll need to do some serious zooming.
It’s probably a good idea to practice your moon photography before you go off to photograph the Buck Moon, or another rarer full moon, though.
Digital Camera World offer excellent tips for focusing your camera, and how to choose the best settings, for high quality moon pics.
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