Photographer Martin Giraud recently shared a stunning image of January’s full “Wolf Moon” rising above the Paris skyline. Captured on January 3, this breathtaking moment features the iconic Eiffel Tower and Sacré-Cœur Basilica set against a vibrant sunset sky.
Giraud managed to align the moon perfectly with these landmarks, creating a unique composite image. He highlights Rayleigh scattering, a phenomenon that gives the moon its stunning orange-yellow glow when it appears on the horizon, enhancing the shot’s beauty.
In an email to Space.com, Giraud explained that he used a Canon 6D camera paired with a Samyang telephoto lens. This setup allowed him to capture the moon from a distance. Interestingly, the Eiffel Tower was about 6.3 kilometers away, while the Sacré-Cœur Basilica stood at 11.1 kilometers. This distance accounts for the moon’s impressive size in the frame.
January’s full moon is traditionally called the “Wolf Moon.” This name comes from the time of year when wolves were often heard howling due to scarcity of food. This year, the moon occurred near its closest point to Earth, making it a supermoon. Supermoons can appear up to 14% larger than the smallest moon of the year.
As Giraud’s work shows, capturing the night sky can inspire awe in viewers. For anyone interested in astrophotography, it’s worth exploring tips for photographing the moon and how to choose the best cameras and lenses for such projects.
For more on the latest space events and photography techniques, visit Space.com.
