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July’s full moon captivated stargazers around the world, shining brightly all weekend.
A full moon occurs when the moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the sun. The moon officially reached full illumination at 6:17 a.m. EDT (10:17 a.m. GMT) on July 21, but will still appear relatively full for a few days around apogee.
The July full moon is also known as the Buck Moon or the Thunder Moon. The former because it coincides with the time of year when the antlers of male deer are in full bloom, the latter because it is also a time when thunderstorms are common in many parts of the world.
Related: Look up! See the moon meet Saturn, watch for shooting stars and find the Northern Crown this week
Photographer Robbie Pesiwarissa sent us this beautiful photo of the full moon rising over Sydney Harbour, Australia on July 21.
“It was a cold and windy day, making it difficult to hold the camera steady, even on a tripod,” Pesiwarissa told Space.com in an email.
Pesiwarissa not only had to contend with the elements, but also with heavy traffic on the water, including large cruise ships that temporarily blocked the view.
“Luckily I was able to capture a smaller sailboat, which makes the photo more interesting,” Pesiwarissa continued.
The next day at sunrise Pesiwarissa went out again to capture the full moon. This time it wasn’t a boat that took the picture, but a cheeky seagull!
In Turkey, the full moon shared the sky with dozens of hot air balloons floating over the historic Cappadocia region of Anatolia.
Photographer Sercan Kucuksahin captured the beautiful scenes that unfolded in the morning sky on July 22, 2024.
With the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games just days away, the golden full moon topped the Paris sky on July 21, 2024.
This stunning photo of the full moon next to the Eiffel Tower, decorated with Olympic rings, was taken by photographer Wang Zhao.
Lisa Shislowski sent us this beautiful photo of the full moon shining brightly over the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
“It was a beautiful sight to see as the boats passed by and the moon was full,” Shislowski told Space.com in an email.
A blood-red, full Buck Moon rises behind the Statue of Liberty in New York City.
This dramatic photo was taken on July 21, 2024 by photographer Gary Hershorn.
Below is a beautiful full moon rising behind the Galata Tower in Istanbul, Turkey.
The photo was taken on July 21, 2024 by photographer Kemal Aslan.
Another stunning entry from Turkey shows the Buck Moon setting in the early hours of the morning at Anitkabir, a mausoleum complex in the Çankaya district of Ankara. The mausoleum serves as the final resting place of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the first president of the Turkish Republic.
Photographer Muhammed Abdullah Kurtar captured the dramatic scene on July 21, 2024.
Photographer Allen Berman sent us this stunning photo of the Buck Moon rising over Santa Monica, California, USA. The photo was taken from Pacific Palisades, nearly 4 miles across the bay.
“I found the juxtaposition between the moon and the Santa Monica Ferris wheel interesting,” Berman told Space.com in an email.
“The original plan was to have the moon just above the white building in the background. But I had to wait almost 10 minutes for the moon to come out from behind a cloud… all the while running along Pacific Coast Highway to keep the moon above the Ferris wheel. It turned out pretty good, I think,” Berman continued.
We agree! The image has indeed become very beautiful.
In Greece, the Full Moon rises impressively behind the ancient Greek Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion.
Photographer Nicolas Economou captured this beautiful scene on July 20, 2024.
In Spain, the July full moon put on quite a show as it rose behind Seville Cathedral. The blood-red moon is partially obscured by Mount Algamitas.
The scene was captured by photographer Joaquin Corchero on July 21, 2024.
In Italy, the full moon created an enchanting sight in the sky as the moon rose behind the clouds above the Rocca Calascio castle.
The photo was taken on July 20, 2024 by photographer Lorenzo Di Cola.
If you’re looking for a telescope or binoculars to observe the moon, our guides to the best binoculars deals and the best telescope deals can help you. In addition, our recommendations for the best cameras for astrophotography and the best lenses for astrophotography helps you prepare to capture your next stargazing event.
The next full moon will take place on Monday, August 19 at 2:26 p.m. EDT (6:26 p.m. GMT.) The full moon in August is an interesting target for sky watching and photography, as it is the first supermoon of the year.