We’ve had a pretty steady run of breathtaking moon images lately, including the super flower blood moon and last month’s strawberry moon.
This week brought the biggest supermoon of the year, also known as a “buck” or “thunder” moon, which lit up the night sky in spectacular fashion.
Why is it called a “buck” or “thunder” moon?
From USA TODAY:
“The moon’s nickname comes from a number of places, including Native American, Colonial American and European sources, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
“For millennia, people across the world, including Native Americans in the eastern and central USA, named the months after nature’s cues.
“The tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full moon,” the almanac said. “The full moon in July is called the buck moon because the antlers of male deer (bucks) are in full-growth mode at this time,” the almanac said. “Bucks shed and regrow their antlers each year, producing a larger and more impressive set as the years go by.”
Take a look at some amazing images from this week: