July’s full moon smells like what?

Published 12:30 pm Thursday, July 10, 2025

There is a full moon tonight. July’s full moon is called a Buck Moon and it got me wondering where these names come from and why.

June’s full moon was called a Strawberry Moon, because it coincides with the short season when strawberries are typically harvested in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere. According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, this name comes from various Native American tribes who used the moon's cycle to track the ripening of strawberries. 

Despite numerous social media accounts I follow, it is not named that because of its colour. Some swore it looked pink last month, but actually it appeared reddish or orange because when it's low on the horizon due to atmospheric conditions, it is an optical effect and not a colour associated with the name.

This July full moon’s name is also linked to nature and ancient traditions in North America. The name Buck Moon comes from a time of year when male deer, called bucks, start to grow new antlers.

This moon may also appear orange or red when it is near the horizon, or when there is smoke in the air. (Which, unfortunately, 'tis the season.)

When looking up information on the internet about this moon, the search engine I used, prompted the question, “What does Buck Moon smell like?” The AI generated response was:

Buck Moon is a subtle spicy blend of vetiver and oakmoss. Smells like a remote field in the summer as the sun begins to set.

My initial response was one of confusion and then of wonder. Moons have a smell? What crazy people think this? I suppose to each their own.

Then I did further research and quickly discovered there is a cologne with the same name. Although, there are people who probably do believe full moons have a scent.

Full moons have been linked to a lot things, and blamed for a lot of other weird behaviour, but never have I heard of them smelling. Or smelling like spicy oak moss.

August’s full moon has been named the Sturgeon Moon and I can only hope there is no fishy-smelling cologne to match that one.