Supermoon 2017: Catch all the spectacular sightings of 'cold moon' here!
The supermoon is a part of a trilogy, a wintertime trilogy to be precise. Otherwise known as the season's 'cold moon', this time it's much closer to Earth.
In this handout provided by NASA, the moon is seen as it rises on December 3, 2017 in Washington, DC. Today's full Moon is the first of three consecutive supermoons. The two will occur on Jan. 1 and Jan. 31, 2018. A supermoon occurs when the moon's orbit is closest (perigee) to Earth at the same time it is full.Photo by NASA/Bill Ingalls via Getty Images
The first-ever sighting of the 'supermoon trilogy' is here, lighting up skies across the United States. And, it's all sorts of wow and spectacular! For those a little confused about this supermoon, it's just our favourite satellite appearing way bigger and brighter than normal.
According to NASA, this first supermoon is a part of a trilogy – a wintertime trilogy, to be precise, and otherwise known as the season's 'cold moon', this time it's much closer to Earth.
The moon is only 222,761 miles from Earth, to be exact, due to its elliptical orbit – as opposed to the regular 238,900 miles. This has led to the moon being about 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than its usual appearance visible to us.
Tom Kerss, an astronomer at Royal Observatory Greenwich, said that the exact moment of full moon happens to be when the moon sits opposite the Sun in the sky, which for this particular time was 3.47 pm ET, December 3.
That is long gone, but what's even more exciting is what Kerss added to that. "The moon will reach its highest point above the horizon at midnight local time. This is when, weather permitting, it will appear at its clearest and brightest.'"
In case you haven't taken a look at it yet, or are able to envision the phenomenon from your location on the planet, worry not. Here are a few pictures from some of the best "supermoon" sightings so far!
The supermoon sets over the church of Nuestra Senora de la Encarnacion at dawn in Olvera, near Cadiz, southern Spain December 4, 2017.REUTERS/Jon Nazca TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Birds fly in front of the supermoon above Marseille, southern France on December 4, 2017. A supermoon is a full moon or a new moon that approximately coincides with the closest distance that the Moon reaches to Earth in its elliptic orbit, resulting in a larger-than-usual apparent size of the lunar disk as seen from Earth.ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP/Getty Images
The Moon is seen as is rises in Washington, D.C., U.S. in this December 3, 2017 handout photo. The full Moon is the first of three consecutive supermoons. The two will occur on Jan. 1 and Jan. 31, 2018. A supermoon occurs when the moon's orbit is closest (perigee) to Earth at the same time it is full.Bill Ingalls/NASA/Handout via REUTERS
The supermoon is seen above Bordeaux, southwestern France, on December 4, 2017. A supermoon is a full moon or a new moon that approximately coincides with the closest distance that the Moon reaches to Earth in its elliptic orbit, resulting in a larger-than-usual apparent size of the lunar disk as seen from Earth.NICOLAS TUCAT/AFP/Getty Images
The supermoon is seen next to electric lines near Yangon on December 4, 2017.YE AUNG THU/AFP/Getty Images
A full moon is pictured behind neon lights in Nantong, Jiangsu province, China December 3, 2017. Picture taken December 3, 2017.China Daily via REUTERS
In this handout provided by NASA, an aircraft taking off from Ronald Reagan National Airport is seen passing in front of the moon as it rises on December 3, 2017 in Washington, DC. Today's full Moon is the first of three consecutive supermoons. The two will occur on Jan. 1 and Jan. 31, 2018. A supermoon occurs when the moon's orbit is closest (perigee) to Earth at the same time it is full.NASA/Bill Ingalls via Getty Images
A picture taken on December 3, 2017 shows a 'supermoon' rising over the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi.GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP/Getty Images
The 'supermoon' rises over a building in the Israeli city of Netanya, on December 3, 2017. The lunar phenomenon occurs when a full moon is at its closest point to earth.JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images
A picture taken on December 3, 2017 shows a 'supermoon' rising over the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi.GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP/Getty Images
The supermoon rises over a highway near Yangon on December 3, 2017. The lunar phenomenon occurs when a full moon is at its closest point to earth.YE AUNG THU/AFP/Getty Images
The full moon is pictured behind Christmas lights in Marseille, France December 3, 2017.REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
A person walks along the "Puente Nuevo" (New Bridge) as it is silhouetted against the supermoon during its rise in Ronda, southern Spain, December 3, 2017.REUTERS/Jon Nazca
Have you stepped outside to see tonight’s supermoon? Here, the Moon is seen as it rose this evening in Washington, DC. Today’s full Moon is the first of three consecutive supermoons. Details: https://t.co/GccSiA5Jbbpic.twitter.com/tUPcat13T1
