The phenomenon occurs once every 18.6 years when the sun’s gravity affects the moon’s orbit and makes it appear especially high or low in the sky, depending on the time of year. It will be low this year and may even take on a golden or reddish hue due to rays of light having to travel father through Earth’s atmosphere.

July’s full moon is called "the Buck Moon” because in July, velvet antler growth, called antlerogenesis, makes an older buck’s rack often very noticeable and actually at its peak growth rate.

Experts say July’s full moon could reduce sleep by up to 20 minutes on the evening of the 10th and as much as 90 minutes in the days leading up to and following it. Scientists in Switzerland previously found that, on the night of the full moon, people take on average five more minutes to fall asleep.

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.