July's full moon is nearly here. This full moon rises in the earth sign of Capricorn, the ambitious and grounded sea goat of the zodiac. Nicknamed the Buck Moon because it coincides with the time of year that deer grow antlers in North America, this lunation represents a moment of change and transcendence. Like the buck, we are growing.

Skywatchers may have a harder time spotting July's full moon in Iowa. The evening of Wednesday, July 9, is expected to have 50-80% cloud cover across the state with some thunderstorms possible starting in western Iowa around 10 p.m. and moving across the state through the night, according to the National Weather Service.

This year, the Buck Moon follows Earth's aphelion, the point in its orbit farthest from the Sun, by just a few days, according to Space.com. That makes it the full moon farthest from the Sun in 2025, a result of orbital geometry rather than distance from Earth.