Stargazers in the UAE caught a glimpse of the blue supermoon thanks to a clear night in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday – a night before the main event.
In these images, the supermoon seen over Abu Dhabi’s Al Qana area throws stunning light on the capital.
The UAE expects more celestial delights on Thursday night, when the blue supermoon will be visible in the UAE from 7pm. It will be more prominent in areas away from light pollution.
The Dubai Astronomy Group is hosting a viewing event at Al Thuraya Astronomy Centre in Dubai's Al Mushrif Park, with tickets priced at Dh60.
Blue moons usually occur every two or three years.
Supermoons occur when the Moon passes through its perigee, or the point that takes it closest to Earth during its elliptical orbit.
That makes it look about 14 per cent bigger compared to when it is at its furthest point, and a touch brighter.
The term “blue moon” refers to when a full moon is seen twice in a month.
A Saturn opposition was visible on Sunday – when Saturn and the Sun are directly opposite in the night sky, and Saturn appears exceptionally bright, allowing its ring system and moons to be more visible.
Next week, Comet Nishimura could also be visible in the UAE sky.
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
