• The supermoon rises behind Glastonbury Tor in Somerset, England. Matt Cardy / Getty Images
    The supermoon rises behind Glastonbury Tor in Somerset, England. Matt Cardy / Getty Images
  • A mother and her child walk under the supermoon at Tuineje in Fuerteventura at the Canary Islands, Spain. Carlos de Saá / EPA
    A mother and her child walk under the supermoon at Tuineje in Fuerteventura at the Canary Islands, Spain. Carlos de Saá / EPA
  • A cross atop of a local monastery is seen silhouetted against the moon in the settlement of Poschupovo in Ryazan region, Russia. Maxim Shemetov / Reuters
    A cross atop of a local monastery is seen silhouetted against the moon in the settlement of Poschupovo in Ryazan region, Russia. Maxim Shemetov / Reuters
  • A so-called “blood moon” can be seen behind a statue during a total lunar eclipse in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany. Frank Rumpenhorst / AFP Photo
    A so-called “blood moon” can be seen behind a statue during a total lunar eclipse in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany. Frank Rumpenhorst / AFP Photo
  • The super moon during a lunar eclipse in the sky above a church in Turets village, some 110km from Minsk, Belarus. Tatyana Zenkovich / EPA
    The super moon during a lunar eclipse in the sky above a church in Turets village, some 110km from Minsk, Belarus. Tatyana Zenkovich / EPA
  • A man takes picture of the screen displaying the moon, appearing in a dim red colour, which is covered by the Earth’s shadow during a total lunar eclipse in Warsaw, Poland. Kacper Pempel / Reuters
    A man takes picture of the screen displaying the moon, appearing in a dim red colour, which is covered by the Earth’s shadow during a total lunar eclipse in Warsaw, Poland. Kacper Pempel / Reuters
  • Sky-watchers around the world were treated when the shadow of Earth cast a reddish glow on the moon, the result of rare combination of an eclipse with the closest full moon of the year. Kacper Pempel / Reuters
    Sky-watchers around the world were treated when the shadow of Earth cast a reddish glow on the moon, the result of rare combination of an eclipse with the closest full moon of the year. Kacper Pempel / Reuters
  • The perigee full moon, or supermoon, appears red behind the sculpture of a sailing ship in Hamburg, Germany. Daniel Reinhardt / EPA
    The perigee full moon, or supermoon, appears red behind the sculpture of a sailing ship in Hamburg, Germany. Daniel Reinhardt / EPA
  • The so-called supermoon passes behind the peak of the Washington Monument during a lunar eclipse. J. David Ake AP Photo
    The so-called supermoon passes behind the peak of the Washington Monument during a lunar eclipse. J. David Ake AP Photo
  • An eclipsed supermoon rises behind the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller / Getty Images / AFP
    An eclipsed supermoon rises behind the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller / Getty Images / AFP
  • The Super Blood Moon rises over a sailboat in Boston Harbor on September 27, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Super Moon coincides with a total lunar eclipse, a rare combination that last occurred in 1982. Scott Eisen / Getty Images / AFP
    The Super Blood Moon rises over a sailboat in Boston Harbor on September 27, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Super Moon coincides with a total lunar eclipse, a rare combination that last occurred in 1982. Scott Eisen / Getty Images / AFP
  • A super moon rises over the Lower Fox Creek School near Strong City, Kan., Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015. It was the first time Sunday since 1982 that a total lunar eclipse was combined with a supermoon. Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle via AP
    A super moon rises over the Lower Fox Creek School near Strong City, Kan., Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015. It was the first time Sunday since 1982 that a total lunar eclipse was combined with a supermoon. Travis Heying / The Wichita Eagle via AP
  • A “supermoon’’ rises above Brighton in southern England. TToby Melville / Reuters
    A “supermoon’’ rises above Brighton in southern England. TToby Melville / Reuters

World

Stargazers treated to rare supermoon phenomenon

Rob Gurdebeke

September 28, 2015

  • English
  • Arabic

LOS ANGELES// Stargazers have been treated to a rare astronomical phenomenon when a total lunar eclipse combined with a so-called supermoon.

It was the first time the events have made a twin appearance since 1982, and they won’t again until 2033.

When a full moon makes its closest approach to Earth, it appears slightly bigger and brighter than usual and has a reddish hue.

That coincided with a full lunar eclipse where the moon, Earth and sun lined up, with Earth’s shadow totally obscuring the moon.

In Los Angeles, a large crowd filled the lawn of Griffith Observatory to watch the celestial show while listening to Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” played by 14-year-old pianist Ray Ushikubo.

The supermoon was also seen in the UAE in the early hours of Monday morning.

*Associated Press

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