Supermoon lights up skies in UAE and around the world

Orange-tinged Sturgeon Moon enthrals stargazers from London to Dubai and Istanbul

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  ISTANBUL, TURKEY - AUGUST 11: The Sturgeon full moon rises next to Istanbul's Camlica Mosque on August 11, 2022 in Istanbul, Turkey. The Sturgeon Moon is the last super-moon of 2022. (Photo by Chris McGrath / Getty Images)

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  An orange supermoon behind the Shard in London. AP

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  The final supermoon of the year in the Jordanian capital Amman. AFP

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  Watching a supermoon rise over Lisbon and the Tagus river. AP

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  A supermoon lights up the night sky in Dubai, behind the Address Sky View hotel and Burj Khalifa. EPA

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  The moon is obscured by clouds as it passes behind the Washington Monument in the US capital. AFP

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  A supermoon appears behind a cross on a church dome in Nicosia, Cyprus. AP

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  Watching the moon rise in Montevideo, Uruguay. AP

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  The supermoon rises next to a windmill in Oostzaan, Netherlands. AP

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  The art deco spire of the Power and Light building in Kansas City is silhouetted against a supermoon. AP

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  A jet casts a shadow as it approaches John F Kennedy International Airport in New York. AP

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  The Sturgeon Moon rises over Dunstanburgh Castle in Northumberland, UK. PA

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  A UK supermoon illuminates the Royal Liver Building in Liverpool. PA

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  Ball games in the moonlight in Ealing, London. PA

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  The banking district in Frankfurt, Germany, is bathed in lunar light. AP

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  A full moon over the Indian Ocean in Diani Beach, Kenya. AP

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  A moonlit moment for Beijing residents in front of a statue of Cupid. AP

The final supermoon of the year shone bright in skies around the world on Thursday night.

The orange-tinged Sturgeon Moon dazzled in Dubai, illuminated Istanbul and lit up London and Lisbon.

There is more to come on Friday, with the enlarged moon visible once more.

The Perseid meteor shower is taking place at the same time, but is expected to be partly impeded by the full moon phase.

If skies were clear, stargazers would have witnessed 80 to 100 meteors an hour shooting across the skies.

The shower is caused by Comet Swift-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1862.

It leaves a long trail of dust and debris during its 133-year orbit around the Sun.

When Earth passes through the comet’s debris each year, the meteor shower is created. The debris collides with the atmosphere and disintegrates, causing the colourful show.

The supermoon phenomenon occurs when the Moon is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit and appears larger than normal. The average distance between the Moon and Earth is 384,472 kilometres.

Dubai Astronomy Group said this week's supermoon would not occur until Friday, in official terms, but the Moon would appear much the same as on Thursday night.

How to watch the cosmic spectacle still to come

Dubai Astronomy Group will be hosting a viewing event on Friday at Jebel Jais, from 9pm until 2am on Saturday.

It will include a telescope observation of the Moon, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter and viewing of the meteors with the naked eye.

There will also be talks on the supermoon and showers, along with question and answer sessions.

Tickets are Dh200 ($54.45) for general admission, Dh150 for children under 13 and Dh100 to members.

For more information, visit the group's website.