Buck moon 2025: How to see July's full moon tonight
The full moon, known as the Buck Moon, will officially reach its peak illumination at 9:37 pm BST (4:37 pm EDT), but it will become visible to most observers shortly after sunset.
This year's Buck Moon is notable for several reasons. Not only is it the most distant full moon of 2025, appearing slightly smaller in the sky (a so-called "micromoon"), but it also coincides with a period of major lunar standstill.
This means the Moon's path is unusually low in the sky, which can amplify the so-called 'Moon illusion' – an optical effect that makes the Moon appear dramatically larger when close to the horizon.
Traditionally, July's full moon is also known as the Thunder Moon, due to the prevalence of summer storms across North America. While the name doesn't carry meteorological weight, it highlights the rich folklore associated with lunar cycles.
In China, this month's full moon is sometimes referred to as the Hungry Ghost Moon.
For the best viewing experience, experts recommend finding a clear vantage point with minimal light pollution and an unobstructed view of the eastern horizon.
Observing the Moon as it rises is often the most visually impressive, when atmospheric distortion gives it a golden or orange hue.
The Buck Moon will remain bright for a day before and after its peak, giving plenty of opportunity to take in the sight – even if clouds partially interrupt it over the coming days.
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The Independent
15 minutes ago
- The Independent
Heathrow reveals plan for £21bn third runway
Heathrow airport has said it can build a third runway for £21 billion within a decade. The airport has submitted plans to the Government for a new full-length runway, but insisted it is open to considering a shorter one. The west London hub is seeking permission to open a new 3,500-metre runway to the north-west of its existing location. This would enable an additional 276,000 flights per year, from 480,000 today to 756,000. The M25 motorway would need to be moved into a tunnel under the new runway. Heathrow also wants to create new terminal capacity for 150 million annual passengers, up from 84 million currently. This would involve a new terminal complex named T5XW and T5XN, extending Terminal 2, and demolishing Terminal 3 and the old Terminal 1. Heathrow said its runway and airfield plan would be privately funded at a cost of £21 billion. It attributed the increase from its estimate of £14 billion in 2018 to 'construction inflation'. The total plan, including terminals and supporting infrastructure, would be expected to cost £49 billion. Airlines have expressed concern that the airport will hike its passenger charges to pay for the project. Heathrow believes it is possible to meet the Government's ambition of securing planning consent by 2029 and the new runway being operational within a decade. The airport's chief executive, Thomas Woldbye, said: 'It has never been more important or urgent to expand Heathrow. 'We are effectively operating at capacity to the detriment of trade and connectivity. 'With a green light from Government and the correct policy support underpinned by a fit-for-purpose, regulatory model, we are ready to mobilise and start investing this year in our supply chain across the country. 'We are uniquely placed to do this for the country. It is time to clear the way for take-off.' EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis said Heathrow expansion 'represents a unique opportunity for easyJet to operate from the airport at scale for the first time and bring with it lower fares for consumers'. The airline carries the most passengers on flights from UK airports but does not serve Heathrow. Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said he remains opposed to a third runway 'because of the severe impact it will have in terms of noise, air pollution and meeting our climate change targets'. He warned that City Hall will 'carefully scrutinise' the proposals, adding: 'I'll be keeping all options on the table in how we respond.' Tony Bosworth, climate campaigner at the charity, Friends of the Earth, said if Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wants to be 'seen as a climate leader' then backing Heathrow expansion is 'the wrong move'. He went on: 'A third runway raises serious, unanswered questions about how it fits with the UK's climate commitments.' On Thursday, hotel tycoon Surinder Arora published a rival Heathrow expansion plan which involves a shorter runway to avoid the need to divert the M25 motorway. The billionaire's Arora Group said a 2,800-metre runway would result in 'reduced risk' and avoid 'spiralling cost'. Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who gave her backing for a third runway in a speech on growth in January, said: 'We are one step closer to expanding our biggest airport – boosting investment in Britain, increasing trade for businesses, and creating up to 100,000 jobs.' Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander described the expansion proposals as 'a significant step towards unlocking growth, creating jobs, and delivering vital national infrastructure'. She will consider the plans over the summer so that a review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) can begin later this year. The ANPS will provide the basis for decision-making on any development consent order application. Conservative shadow transport secretary Richard Holden said his party welcomed the investment in UK infrastructure, but insisted it must be privately funded. He said: 'This is a private venture, and it must remain that way. There can be no backup blank cheque from taxpayers. 'Britain needs infrastructure that is affordable, accountable and ambitious, and that means open scrutiny, real competition, and a clear eye on delivery.'
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Seeking growth, Britain considers rival Heathrow expansion plans
LONDON, July 31 (Reuters) - Britain's government will consider two competing, multi-billion-pound plans to build a runway to increase capacity at the country's biggest airport Heathrow that it hopes will kickstart economic growth. Finance minister Rachel Reeves in January gave her backing to Heathrow expansion as she sought to end decades of indecision due to environmental concerns. The government has said airlines' increased use of sustainable aviation fuel means airport enlargements do not necessarily derail net zero targets. Located west of London, Heathrow is Europe's busiest hub and operates at full capacity, putting a brake on Britain's economy. Its two runways compare with four each in Paris' Charles de Gaulle and Frankfurt Airport, and six at Amsterdam's Schiphol. Heathrow Airport submitted a proposal for a new runway to the government on Thursday with an estimated total price tag of 49 billion pounds ($65 billion), which it said would be privately-financed. The Arora Group, which owns land and hotels around Heathrow, said its plan for a new runway would cost under 25 billion pounds but that does not include all the development costs. Under Heathrow's plan, the runway and airfield infrastructure would cost 21 billion pounds, with the balance funding a new terminal, modernising existing infrastructure and moving a motorway. As well as a new runway at Heathrow, the government will by October 27 make a final decision on whether to expand Gatwick, the country's second largest airport, after saying it was inclined to do so in February. At Heathrow, both projects aim for the new runway to be operational by 2035. The Heathrow plan includes a full-length, 3,500-metre (11,483 ft) runway and building a tunnel to move a section of London's M25 motorway. Arora's plan is to build a slightly shorter runway without moving the motorway, but at 2,800 metres in length, it would be unable to accommodate the biggest widebody jets. Airlines, such as British Airways-owner IAG (ICAG.L), opens new tab, have long complained that Heathrow is one of the most expensive airports in the world in terms of its charges, and they have been worried expansion will mean higher fees. An IAG spokesperson said it backed a shorter runway. "Avoiding the need to cross the M25 would remove complexity, reduce costs and help deliver better value for passengers," the spokesperson said. The submissions now be reviewed by the government over the summer, the Department for Transport said. ($1 = 0.7551 pounds)
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Air traffic control encourages working from home to reach net zero
The air traffic control company responsible for Britain's skies embraced home working in a drive to 'go green', The Telegraph can disclose. Many staff at National Air Traffic Services (Nats) have been allowed to work remotely after managers decided it would help the organisation reduce its carbon footprint and cut car journeys to reach net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2035. The 'agile working' policy does not include air traffic controllers themselves, as those people all still work inside secure control centres. However, it extends up to board level including chief executive Martin Rolfe, and also allows some operations staff to work from home. They are allowed to do so despite Nats being criticised for an air traffic control meltdown in 2023, which lasted for four hours in part because an on-call engineer who could have fixed a malfunctioning computer system was working from home and unable to gain full access. A subsequent failure for around half an hour on Wednesday triggered more than 150 cancellations and disrupted tens of thousands of holidaymakers. Nats has repeatedly said that agile working is crucial to help its green ambitions. In a responsible business report from 2021, published as the country recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic, a senior manager described how agile working would help Nats go green. 'The need to reduce our environmental impacts and costs was firmly part of our plans prior to Covid,' he said. 'Now the pandemic has hastened discussions on the amount and type of property and accommodation the business will need in the future, particularly in the context of agile working, which will allow Nats to make better use of people and space. 'A more permanent element of remote working also potentially supports a reduction in car journeys. Creating a new, agile-ready office work environment offers the opportunity to 'go green', and we're encouraging employees to make the most of the 'new office and new start' post-Covid.' Current job vacancies which allow remote working include a military air traffic control specialist, a post described as playing a 'key role within the operations transformation department' and responsibility for overseeing the implementation of a military radar contract. Others include a senior project manager in charge of 'multiple complex and major projects' and a tactical training planner whose roles include ensuring that 'competency is maintained'. In another report in July 2023, shortly before the August bank holiday air traffic chaos of that year, Nats unveiled a five-year plan titled 'our route towards carbon negative'. As part of its plan to reduce emissions 'on the ground' it said that it would reduce 'consumption and improve energy efficiency, reduce unnecessary business and commuting travel emissions, adopt agile working'. It boasted of a 6 per cent reduction in its 'commuting footprint' and said that by not returning all of its staff to the office, it had reduced carbon dioxide emissions. The air traffic control company won a 'climate leaders' award the following year for achieving the highest score in a survey that asked stock market-listed companies how they were reducing emissions. Solar panels Part of that work included installing more than 2,600 solar panels on the roof of Nats' Swanwick air traffic control centre, which was completed a year ago. Bosses hope that the panels will eventually provide up to a fifth of the centre's electricity needs, even though the technology only generates power when the sun is shining. 'This project is the first of three large-scale solar installations at Nats' sites involving some 12,000 panels,' Nats said in a statement about the Swanwick works issued last July. 'Work is underway to fit solar panels to the roof of the Prestwick Centre in Ayrshire and ground-mounted panels will be installed on adjoining land later this year,' it added. Prestwick is the headquarters of Scottish Control, which is in charge of the skies over the northern UK mainland and Northern Ireland. It also hosts Shanwick Oceanic Control, which is responsible for all flights to and from the US that pass over the eastern half of the North Atlantic. However, reliance on solar panels has previously been blamed for blackouts such as those seen in Spain and Portugal earlier this year. In April the solar-dependent Spanish electricity grid became unstable thanks to the large amount of intermittent renewable power connected to it, eventually triggering a total loss of electricity across the entire Iberian peninsula. Fears of aviation meltdowns because of unreliable power supplies came true earlier this year when Heathrow Airport was forced to close after a site-wide power cut that disrupted 700,000 airline passengers around the world. That incident was eventually traced back to the failure of a single National Grid transformer with a fault that had been known about for years. Diversity hiring A focus on air traffic diversity hiring was also criticised by Donald Trump earlier this year after a deadly crash between a military helicopter and passenger plane that killed 67 people in Washington DC. The US president said that employees with 'severe disabilities' had been hired as part of a diversity and inclusion drive and vowed to 'put safety first'. A Nats spokesman said on Thursday: 'Yesterday's issue was radar related and was resolved quickly by switching to the back-up system during which time we reduced traffic to ensure safety. There is no evidence that this was cyber related. 'Regarding our working policies, we adopted 'agile working' in 2020, post-pandemic for appropriate roles. It does not include frontline staff such as controllers and engineers based in our centres.'
