Buck Moon Provides Dramatic Show for Stargazers Worldwide (Photos)

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 ...