Last night (Sunday, 3rd December) was sight to behold. Turns out, the final full moon of the year was a supermoon.
Local reports stated that 2017’s first, last, and only supermoon made its appearance yesterday at 11:57pm. It is said that supermoons can appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than a typical full moon.
Last year, the Moon was the closest to Earth since 26th January 1948. Skywatchers called it the perigree, which is a phenomenon when the full moon is at its closest distance to earth. The next perigree won’t happen again until 25 November 2034. On an average, supermoons only appear once every 14 months.
Luckily for us who missed it, people from various parts of the world were able witnessed the lunar phenomenon and capture it. Robert Massey, from the Royal Astronomical Society, commented that the supermoon appeared brightest at midnight – when at its highest point above the horizon. According to BBC, the latest supermoon was approximately 7% larger and 15% brighter.
Here are several beautiful snapshots from all over the world:
1. New York, United States
2. The UAE capital in Abu Dhabi
3. Manchester, England
4. Netanya, Israel
5. Hong Kong
6. Singapore
Fret not if you missed last night’s supermoon; it was only the first of 3 consecutive supermoons. The next 2 supermoons are set to take place on 1st and 31st Janaury 2018. Experts are saying that the supermoon on 31st January would be an exceptional occasion as both the lunar eclipse and a blue moon (the second full moon in a month) are happening at the same time.
Remember to mark your calendar for that special date 😉
Sources: Channel NewsAsia, The Star / Featured image: AP.
