Supermoon and lunar eclipse captivate stargazers
A supermoon lit up skies around the world, coinciding with a rare partial lunar eclipse.
The Moon may appear brighter and larger on Tuesday night.
A supermoon occurs when the Moon is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit.
A rare partial lunar eclipse — when the Earth’s shadow partially covers the Moon — also occurs when about 4% of the Moon’s disk is covered by shadow.
On the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, this lunar phenomenon can be seen globally – some of the best views are in the UK and the US.
The eclipse will also be visible in Latin America, Europe and Africa, as well as small parts of Asia and the Middle East.
This month’s full moon – also known as the Harvest Moon – is the second of four “supermoons” this year.
The next partial solar eclipse will take place in August 2026, a special event because about 96% of the Moon will be in shadow.