A Full Moon Named for Deer Antlers
Late in the evening of July 29, 2026, skywatchers around the globe saw a full moon rise—the one known as the Buck Moon. The name comes from Indigenous American traditions that tie this time of year to young deer growing new antlers. The publication Space gathered a gallery of images taken by photographers from many countries, showing how the moon appeared in different settings.
From Turkey to San Francisco: Images of the Night Sky
Several images stood out in the collection:
- Mesut Karaduman captured a ballerina posing on a hillside near Tekirdag, Turkey;
- Sergen Sezgin photographed the moon above a smoldering slope near Balikesir;
- Kevin McCarthy went into his backyard in Charlotte at 11:15 p.m. to record the view;
- Typhoon Koskun caught the moment the moon cast light across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco;
- Mert Alper framed two onlookers on Woodbine Beach;
- Gary Hershorn shot the full moon rising over the World Trade Center spire in Manhattan from the New Jersey side;
- Ismail Kaplan placed the moon beside a fortress in Ankara;
- In the Hungarian town of Telkibánya, an unusual photo shows the moon inside the wheel of a child's bicycle, with the Zemplén Mountains behind it;
- A bat silhouette appears against the lunar surface, obscuring the Sea of Tranquility and the Sea of Serenity, in a shot by Izhar Khan from Sydney.
This July full moon is only a prelude to a packed month ahead. On August 12, a total solar eclipse will be visible over Spain, Iceland, and Greenland—and it falls on the same date as the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. Two weeks later, on August 26, a lunar eclipse will occur as the Moon moves into Earth's shadow.
These celestial events continue to draw the attention of photographers, astronomers, and curious spectators hoping to capture unique moments in the sky.
Watching natural phenomena like full moons and eclipses remains a popular activity for people in many countries.
Beyond their visual appeal, these moments also inspire artistic experimentation, as the photographers' works demonstrate. With both solar and lunar eclipses arriving in August, interest in astronomy and the natural sciences appears to be growing.
As the excitement builds for upcoming celestial phenomena, the stunning visuals from the 2026 Strawberry Moon provide a captivating reminder of the beauty found in our night sky. These remarkable images not only celebrate the magic of the full moon but also set the stage for the thrilling astronomical events that await us in August.