Jiaxiu Tower under a full moon, Guiyang, Guizhou province, China
© Wang Yukun/Getty Image
Under the full moon's gaze. Mid-Autumn Festival
As summer's warmth gently yields to autumn's cool embrace, the Mid-Autumn Festival lights up the sky on the full moon of the year's eighth lunar month in the Chinese calendar. Celebrated since China's Shang dynasty, the festival honours the harvest season, during which families reunite to enjoy delectable mooncakes, admire the beauty of the moon, express gratitude, and tell tales of the Moon Goddess Chang'e, the Chinese goddess of the moon, and her husband Hou Yi, a legendary archer. Jiaxiu Tower was built in 1598, so it has witnessed many Mid-Autumn Festivals over the centuries. Under the moonlit sky, lanterns adorn the tower, illuminating the streets and symbolizing hope, good fortune, and unity.
Sandstone rock formations, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona
North Gate of Angkor Thom, Angkor Archaeological Park, Cambodia
The Storr, a rock outcrop on the Isle of Skye, Scotland
Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, New York City
Río Negro, Amazon basin, Brazil
Mount Logan in Kluane National Park and Reserve, Yukon, Canada
Sunset at Teide National Park, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
