Did you see it? Stunning photos show last night’s Strawberry SUPERMOON rising over landmarks
Last night, a stunning Strawberry Supermoon lit up the skies around the world as our lunar satellite appeared 17 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than usual.
The spectacular event could be seen over famous landmarks, including New York’s Statue of Liberty, the Shard in London and the Great Pyramid of Giza.
While there is no single definition, the term supermoon generally refers to a full moon that appears brighter and larger than other moons because it is in its fixed orbit toward Earth.
The Strawberry Supermoon technically peaked at 12:51 BST (07:51 EDT) yesterday, but if you missed it, there’s some good news: The July 13 and August 11 full moons are likely to be classified as supermoons too.
Last night, a stunning Strawberry Supermoon lit up the skies around the world as our lunar satellite appeared 17 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than usual. Pictured: The supermoon appears next to London’s Shard
The spectacular event could be seen above famous landmarks including New York’s Statue of Liberty (pictured), the Shard in London and the Great Pyramid of Giza
While there is no single definition, the term supermoon generally refers to a full moon that appears brighter and larger than other moons because it is in its fixed orbit toward Earth. Pictured: The supermoon sets behind telecommunications equipment on top of Frankfurt’s Feldberg
Some parts of the scientific community, including NASA, use astrologer Richard Nolle’s 1979 supermoon definition, who classified it as a full moon falling within 90 percent of its perigee — the closest point in its orbit to Earth.
However, retired NASA astrophysicist Fred Espenak calculates supermoons to account for changes in the moon’s orbit each lunar cycle.
By its definition, May’s full moon was a supermoon, while NASA did not classify it as such.
June’s full moon was 357,658 km from our planet when it rose at dusk, and skywatchers said to look southeast after sunset to watch it creep across the horizon.
Cloud cover over much of England and Wales was minimal last night, although people in Ireland and Scotland Unfortunately had clouded their view.
If you snapped a photo of last night’s Strawberry Supermoon, you could be in line for a prize.
The Royal Observatory in Greenwich is encouraging people to submit their photos of the supermoon to win a ‘brilliant astronomy prize’.
“The good news is that the Super Strawberry Moon will appear full for a few more days into and around June 14, so there will be plenty of opportunities to get that all-important shot,” it said.
The Strawberry Supermoon technically peaked at 12:51 BST (07:51 EDT) yesterday, but if you missed it, there’s some good news: The July 13 and August 11 full moons are likely to be classified as supermoons too. Pictured: The supermoon seen over the Sydney CBD skyline
Some parts of the scientific community, including NASA, use astrologer Richard Nolle’s 1979 supermoon definition, who classified it as a full moon falling within 90 percent of its perigee — the closest point in its orbit to Earth. Pictured: The supermoon over the Great Pyramid of Giza
June’s full moon was 357,658 km from our planet when it rose at dusk, and skywatchers said to look southeast after sunset to watch it creep across the horizon.
“Due to optical illusion, the moon often appears much larger when it is close to the horizon, so for a really dramatic photo look for the moon just after moonrise or before the moon sets.”
The moon of June gets its name from the strawberry season, when the berries are ripe for picking.
The Farmer’s Almanac also notes that this particular full moon has had a number of names in the past, all associated with the natural world, including blooming moon.
Other names, often given by Native American tribes, include green corn moon, whore moon, natal moon, egg-laying moon, honey moon, and fellow moon.
The phrase “honeymoon” may be related to this full moon, possibly because of the tradition of getting married in June or because the “honeymoon” is the “sweetest” moon of the year.
If you snapped a photo of last night’s Strawberry Supermoon, you could be in line for a prize. The Royal Observatory in Greenwich is encouraging people to submit their photos of the supermoon to win a ‘brilliant astronomy prize’. Pictured: The Strawberry Supermoon behind Lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center
The moon of June gets its name from the strawberry season, when the berries are ripe for picking. Pictured: The full moon rising between two towers in Dubai
The Farmer’s Almanac also notes that this particular full moon has had a number of names in the past, all associated with the natural world, including blooming moon. Pictured: The full moon behind the ancient Temple of Poseidon
World-class TV host, author and astronomer Mark Thompson has previously said that a supermoon is a great opportunity to look for features on the lunar surface.
“The ease with which the full moon can be seen makes it a great object for children and newcomers to watch the stars,” he added.
“See how many craters you can see and if you can find the Sea of Tranquility where Neil Armstrong and Edwin ‘Buzz’ Aldrin landed in 1969.”
Taking pictures of the moon can be challenging, explains Thompson, who said that people are often inspired to take their own picture but only see a small white blob.
“To successfully capture close-ups of the moon, a long lens is a must,” he said. ‘Aspiring photographers should check out these expert tips from Canon for more advice.’