"Supermoon" shines across night sky

Planet Earth was treated to one of its brightest full moons on Sunday night (August 10-11) as the satellite came to one of its closest points in its orbit.           

In places where the night sky was visible without cloud, the moon lit up the skies making it hard to see the stars and casting a clear glare over water.

The supermoon, which came into common parlance from astrology over the past ten years, is technically known as a "perigee moon," and occurs when the moon is full as it reaches perigee, the point of its orbit closest to the earth according to The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).       

August's supermoon is considered to be the most remarkable of the year as it is only 221,765 miles away (356,896km), compared to its average distance of 238,855 miles (384,400 km).          

The moon will actually reach its closest point all decade on the full moon of November 14, 2016, when it will be only 221,524 miles away (356,508 km) at its perigee, putting it within 85 miles (136 km) of the closest possible point of its orbit.           


REUTERS