'Supermoon' Dominates Sunday Night Skyline Around The World (PICTURES)

The Huffington Post UK  |  By Posted: 07/05/2012 10:43 Updated: 08/05/2012 10:04

Supermoon
The supermoon as seen behind the Christ the Redeemer statue, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Sunday night's sky was dominated worldwide by a so-called 'supermoon', prompting photographers everywhere to take some amazing snaps of the lunar phenomenon.

The so-called 'supermoon' occurs when the Moon is at its closest to the Earth on its elliptical orbit. Technically named a perigree full moon, the Moon appeared roughly 14% bigger and 30% brighter than when at its furthest point from the Earth, according to NASA.

As a result of the phenomenon, photographers across the world, from Jordan to California, were out to take pictures of the moon.

Best seen at 4.30am on Monday, Nasa also said that the moon is given an extra appearance of being larger when seen through trees or other objects: "For reasons not fully understood by astronomers or psychologists, low-hanging Moons look unnaturally large when they beam through trees, buildings and other foreground objects.

"On 5 May, this Moon illusion will amplify a full Moon that's extra-big to begin with. The swollen orb rising in the east at sunset should seem super indeed."

Although the moon's position will affect tidal levels, or "perigean tides", across the world NASA claimed that it would only be a few inches at most, "not exactly a great flood."

See below for our selection of the best supermoon snaps...

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  • Supermoon over night sky

    New York, USA

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Temple of Poseidon in Cape Sounion, south east of Athens, Greece

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Harthill, Scotland

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Harthill, Scotland.

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Harthill, Scotland

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Above the Shard, London

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Palm Springs, California, USA

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Palm Springs, California, USA

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Mexico City, Mexico

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Palm Springs, California, USA

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Palm Springs, California

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Palm Springs, California, USA

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Los Angeles, California, USA

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Los Angeles, California, USA

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Los Angeles, California, USA

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Behind a Statue of Liberty replica, Pristina, Kosovo

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Near Bal Harbour, Florida, USA

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Novogrudok, Belarus

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Wichita, Kansas, USA

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

  • Supermoon over night sky

    Edinburgh, Scotland

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11:29 AM on 05/18/2012
Last time I got a photo of a full moon, I got nicked for showing my bum!!!!!
02:53 PM on 05/18/2012
Funny! But on a more serious note, about 6 months ago I had driven out to the country (no houses/buildings or anything of any significance) to take some photos of the Moon with my new camera. I was in a completely public place (through the day myself and many others take dogs there for walks as well as just general walking ourselves) and a police car stopped and asked what I was doing. I explained what I was doing and was told to move on. I asked why it was necessary and was told in no uncertain terms that unless I moved on, I would be arrested. ??? I will never view the police in the same way after this.
05:17 AM on 05/18/2012
Reasons "not fully understood by astronomers"??? Really? Then how about this. The atmosphere acts like a lens & refracts the light from the moon. If the moon is low, then to the viewer, the light is coming diagonally through the atmosphere as opposed to straight down, which means that the light has to travel through more atmosphere (effectively a thicker lens) making the moon appear bigger. Not difficult really, is it?
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