Spectacular Full Moon Shines Over Paris, City of Light

The full moon in this image is the first after the solstice on June 20 this year. This photo was taken by photographer VegaStar Carpentier of Paris, France, on July 3, 2012. CREDIT: VegaStar Carpentier View full size image

A gigantic full moon looms over Paris in this spectacular night sky view.

Astrophotographer VegaStar Carpentier took this magnificent photo on July 3, 2012 using EOS Canon 1000D camera with 300mm lens and an exposure of Exp.1/15 seconds.

The July full moon  is the first after the solstice on June 20 this year. This moon is commonly called the buck, hay or thunder moon in North America to mark when young bucks grow antlers, farmers work on bales of hay and thunderstorms arrive.

Moon Master: An Easy Quiz for Lunatics

For most of human history, the moon was largely a mystery. It spawned awe and fear and to this day is the source of myth and legend. But today we know a lot about our favorite natural satellite. Do you?

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Moon Master: An Easy Quiz for Lunatics

For most of human history, the moon was largely a mystery. It spawned awe and fear and to this day is the source of myth and legend. But today we know a lot about our favorite natural satellite. Do you?

0 of questions complete

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A full moon occurs when the orb is directly opposite the sun. This means the moon  can fully reflect the light of the sun giving it a beautiful glow.  The time between one full moon to the next is called a “synodic” month and takes 29.53 days.

Editor's note: If you have an amazing skywatching photo you'd like to share for a possible story or image gallery, please contact managing editor Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com.

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