Giant Supermoon Lights Up Sky Across Globe

Spectacular images are captured of the lunar spectacle from around the world, after a cosmonaut photographs a "moonset" in space.

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   The moon's seasonal proximity to the Earth has led to a series of dazzling images from the night sky. Here, it is pictured behind a tree as it rises, in Brasilia, Brazil.
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   The moon seen over Thailand's capital, Bangkok
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   A couple take a photo in Monterrey, Mexico
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   A deep blue sky provides a backdrop to the supermoon in Manila, the Philippines
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   Fireworks streak past in front of the supermoon outside the town of Mosta, in Malta
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   A surfer paddles on to a wave as the supermoon rises behind him beside a Sydney beach, Australia
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   The supermoon passes over the Temple of Poseidon, at Cape Sounion, east of Athens
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   Sky News viewer Jamie Cooper sent this picture in with the moon over London
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    The supermoon rises behind Mdina Cathedral in Malta
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    The supermoon rises over Oberbaum bridge in Berlin, Germany, as a train goes past
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    The supermoon outshines lights on the minaret of a mosque in Zenica, Bosnia Herzegovina
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    Sky viewer Sheila Hunn captured the moon in Portland, Dorset
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    The supermoon rises above the New York skyline
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    The Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, South Korea, is seen in front of the moon.
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    The supermoon rises behind Kuwait City's skyline
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    The supermoon descends behind Nossa Senhora da Penha Church in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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    The supermoon rises over Tower Bridge in London
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    Sky viewer Victor Hart took this picture in Porstmouth
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    The supermoon comes up next to the Four Towers Business Area in Madrid, Spain
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    The supermoon is seen behind the St Isaac's Cathedral in the Russian city of St Petersburg
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    The supermoon rises behind the roof of the Sydney Opera House, Australia
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    Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev has posted a series of pictures of the 'supermoon' moonset, taken from the International Space Station. Pic: Oleg Artemyev / Roscosmos
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    The moon's seasonal proximity to the Earth has led to a series of dazzling images from the night sky. Here, it is pictured behind a tree as it rises, in Brasilia, Brazil.

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Stargazers around the globe have been dazzled by the biggest and brightest "supermoon" of the year.

Known as the perigee moon or supermoon, the moon appeared 14% larger and 30% brighter than normal as it reached the point in its orbit closest to the Earth, known as perigee.

Many took photos of the lunar spectacle, which comes two days before the Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak.

And before the supermoon became visible to people on Earth, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev took a series of pictures of the event as seen from the International Space Station.

The supermoon 'moonset' seen from the ISS. Pic: Oleg Artemyev / Roscosmos

The images posted on his Twitter account show the moon slowly disappearing behind the Earth, in what Mr Artemyev called a "moonset".

The moon's distance from Earth varies between approximately 217,480 miles (350,000km) and 248,548 miles (400,000km) because of its oval orbit, meaning it appears to be various sizes when seen from our planet. It got as close as 221,765 miles (356,896km) overnight.

Dr Bill Cooke from the US space agency Nasa's Meteoroid Environment Office, said the luminous supermoon risked drowning out the meteor shower.

Pic: Oleg Artemyev / Roscosmos

"Lunar glare wipes out the black-velvety backdrop required to see faint meteors, and sharply reduces counts," he said.

Dr Cooke added that the Perseids were also "rich in fireballs as bright as Jupiter or Venus" that would remain visible despite the moon's glare.

The supermoon tends to bring high and low tides, but claims that it is linked to natural disasters like earthquakes or volcanic eruptions have been denied by experts.

An unusually bright full supermoon was also seen on July 12, and is due to appear again on September 9.

Supermoons usually occur every 13 months and 18 days, but are not always noticed because of clouds or poor weather.

Go here and watch in detail (25 photos taken from different parts of the globe last night)     http://news.sky.com/story/1316586/giant-supermoon-lights-up-sky-across-globe