The rising of the August full Moon, known as the Sturgeon Moon, is one of the most anticipated celestial events of this weekend.
And it's quite a weekend for stargazing, with the Perseid meteor shower approaching its peak and planets Venus and Jupiter looking fabulous in the pre-dawn sky.
Two nights ago, astrophotographer Paolo Palma took to the streets outside the famous Colosseum in Rome, Italy, where the nearly-full Moon was visible through one of its arched window openings.
Paolo captured these images on 7 August 2025, just two nights before full Moon.
They are all single shots captured with a Nikon Coolpix p510 camera.
"The sight was so unreal," says Paolo. "Many people on the streets, noticing the peculiar alignment between the ancient amphitheater and the Moon, began to stop to admire it and take photos and selfies.
"In these images, the size of the Moon is different because as the Moon rose I got closer to the Colosseum to take more shots.
"It was truly evocative to see the Moon through a window of the Colosseum.
"The columns on either side, the arch and the colours of the stone, all formed a delicate ancient frame, almost like a real painting.
"As the Moon rose, it gradually took on a colourful hue, attracting everyone's attention, and before long I wasn't the only one admiring the spectacle.
"Those who noticed the scene, in addition to marvelling and taking shots, asked passersby to take photos of them smiling, hugging or kissing with the Moon in the twilight sky behind them, looking out from the Colosseum.
"This wonder is probably not unlike that felt by the ancients when they aligned their buildings and monuments with the stars.
"It would be a wonderful idea to commemorate conjunctions between sky and Earth like this with more public events in future.
"The shots are indeed beautiful, but it's equally beautiful to witness the spectacle in person."
See more of Paolo's work via his Instagram account @unsaltonelcielo.
If you photograph the Sturgeon Moon this weekend, we'd love to see your shots. Email them to us via contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com
