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Space
Space
Science
Daisy Dobrijevic

July full moon 2024: Buck Moon puts on dramatic show for skywatchers worldwide (photos)

A close up of one blue hot air balloon and the full moon.

July's full moon captivated skywatchers worldwide as it shone brightly over the weekend. 

A full moon occurs when the moon is on the opposite side of Earth from the sun. It officially reached full illumination at 6:17 a.m. EDT (1017 GMT) on July 21 but still appears relatively full for a few days around the peak. 

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 male deer antlers are in full growth and the latter because it is also 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 photograph of the full moon rising at Sydney Harbour, Australia on July 21. 

"It was a cold and windy day, hard to keep the camera steady even on a tripod," Pesiwarissa told Space.com in an email. 

Full moon rising at Sydney Harbour, Australia on July 21.  (Image credit: Robbiesydney Photography)

Pesiwarissa had to battle not only the elements but also a lot of traffic on the water including from large cruise ships which temporarily blocked the view. 

"Luckily I managed to capture a smaller sailboat that adds interest to the picture," Pesiwarissa continued. 

The next day at dawn Pesiwarissa set out to capture the full moon once again, this time the image was photobombed not by a boat but by a cheeky seagull! 

Full moon and seagull above Sydney Harbour, Australia. (Image credit: Robbiesydney Photography)

In Turkey,  the full moon shared the sky with dozens of hot-air balloons gliding over the historical Cappadocia region in Anatolia. 

Photographer Sercan Kucuksahin captured the beautiful scenes unfolding in the dawn sky on July 22, 2024.

(Image credit: Sercan Kucuksahin/Anadolu via Getty Images)
(Image credit: Sercan Kucuksahin/Anadolu via Getty Images)

With the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic games only days away, the golden full moon took the number 1 position in the skies above Paris on July 21, 2024.

This stunning image of the full moon shining next to the Eiffel Tower adorned with Olympic rings was captured by photographer Wang Zhao. 

July full moon shining above the Eiffel Tower adorned with Olympic rings. (Image credit: Photo by WANG ZHAO/AFP via Getty Images)

Lisa Shislowski sent us this lovely image of the full moon shining bright over the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. 

"As the boats went by, with the full Buck Moon, it was a sight to enjoy," Shislowski told Space.com in an email. 

July full moon above the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. (Image credit: Lisa Shislowski)

A blood red full Buck Moon rises behind the Statue of Liberty in New York City. 

This dramatic photograph was captured by photographer Gary Hershorn on July 21, 2024. 

Full Buck Moon rising behind the Statue of Liberty, New York City. (Image credit: Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)

Below, a striking full moon rising behind the Galata Tower in Istanbul, Turkey. 

The image was captured by photographer Kemal Aslan on July 21, 2024. 

The full moon rises behind the Galata Tower in Istanbul on July 21, 2024. (Image credit: Photo by KEMAL ASLAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Another stunning entry from Turkey shows the Buck Moon setting in the early hours at Anitkabir, a mausoleum complex in the Çankaya district of Ankara. The mausoleum serves as the 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.

The full moon setting beside Anitkabir, Ankara, Turkey. (Image credit: Muhammed Abdullah Kurtar/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Photographer Allen Berman sent us this dazzling image of the Buck Moon rising over Santa Monica, California, U.S. The image was captured from Pacific Palisades, almost 4 miles across the bay.

Full moon above Santa Monica, California, U.S. (Image credit: Allen Berman)

"I thought the juxtaposition of the moon and the Santa Monica Ferris Wheel could be interesting," Berman told Space.com in an email. 

"The initial plan was to see the moon just above the white building in the background. But, I had to wait almost 10 minutes for the moon to emerge from behind a cloud …all the while running along the Pacific Coast Highway to keep the moon above the Ferris wheel.  Still turned out kinda nice I think," Berman continued. 

We agree! The image turned out very nice indeed. 

In Greece, the Full Buck Moon rises behind the ancient Greek Temple of Poseidon on Cape Sounion in stunning fashion. 

Photographer Nicolas Economou captured this stunning scene on July 20, 2024. 

Full moon above the ancient Temple of Poseidon on Cape Sounion, Greece. (Image credit: Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

In Spain, the full moon of July put on quite the display as it rose behind Seville's Cathedral. The blood red moon is partially hidden by the Algamitas mountain. 

The scene was captured by photographer Joaquin Corchero on July 21, 2024. 

Buck Moon rising above Seville, Andalusia, Spain.  (Image credit: Photo By Joaquin Corchero/Europa Press via Getty Images))

In Italy, the full moon painted a delightful scene in the sky as it rose behind clouds above the Rocca Calascio Castle. 

The image was captured by photographer Lorenzo Di Cola on July 20, 2024.

Buck Moon above Rocca Calascio Castle, Italy. (Image credit: Photo by Lorenzo Di Cola/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

If you're in search of a telescope or binoculars to observe the moon, our guides to the best binoculars deals and the best telescope deals can assist you. Additionally, our recommendations for the best cameras for astrophotography and the best lenses for astrophotography will help you get ready to capture your next skywatching event. 

The next full moon will occur on Monday, Aug. 19 at 2:26 p.m. EDT (1826 GMT.) August's full moon will make for an interesting skywatching and photography target as it will be the first supermoon of the year. 

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