Yahoo – AFP,
Kerry Sheridan, with Katy Lee in Paris, November 15, 2016
 |
| The 'supermoon' is covered by clouds behind the skyline of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, on November 14, 2016 (AFP Photo/Boris Roessler) |
Miami (AFP)
- Skygazers took to high-rise buildings, tourist landmarks and beaches
worldwide to catch a glimpse of the closest "supermoon" to Earth in
almost seven decades.
The
unusually big and bright moon happens when the Earth's satellite rock is full
at the same time as, or very near, perigee -- its closest point to our planet
on its monthly ellipsis-shaped orbit.
At a
distance of 356,509 kilometers (221,524 miles), this is the closest it has been
to Earth since 1948, creating what NASA described as "an
extra-supermoon."
The
phenomenon was visible first in Asia, on Monday, sending astronomy enthusiasts
and photographers flocking to the best viewing spots, hoping the chronic
pollution that blights many of the region's cities would not spoil the fun.
Sydney's
eastern Bronte suburb became an unexpected magnet as thousands of people armed
with picnic mats and cameras packed its small beach after a Facebook invite
went viral.
Loud cheers
went up among the crowd as the moon made brief appearances between heavy, gray
clouds before disappearing.
"It's
really nice," Aidan Millar-Powell told AFP of the festive community
atmosphere at the beach. "People don't usually come together like this in
Sydney for a natural phenomenon."
Tourists,
office workers and couples crowded the Hong Kong waterfront as the supersized
moon rose over the skyscrapers of the financial hub, while in the Chinese
capital Beijing the moon climbed spectacularly over the city's skyline.
 |
Factfile
explaining the "supermoon" phenomenon, which will be visible
Monday
night in some parts of the world (AFP Photo/Alain BOMMENEL,
Jean Michel CORNU)
|
'More
super than others'
The
supermoon was visible across much of India although residents of New Delhi, the
world's most polluted capital, struggled to see it clearly through the toxic
smog that has been shrouding the city in recent weeks.
In
Thailand, astrologers were variously predicting the supermoon would bring
disaster or great fortune.
The
supermoon means a stronger high tide, something that gets surfers giddy with
excitement, not only at the prospect of riding bigger waves, but doing so at
night.
In Florida,
tides were unusually high and flooding was reported along some beachside
streets near Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
NASA
published a photo of the moon appearing as a giant orange orb behind Russia's
Soyuz rocket at the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch pad in Kazakhstan, ready to
propel a Russian cosmonaut, a European and an American astronaut to the
International Space Station later this week.
"Supermoon
adorns our rocket," tweeted Peggy Whitson, the NASA astronaut who will be
on that flight.
"Incredible
perspective of spaceflight."
Astronomers
say it can be hard to notice that the moon appears brighter than usual. Once it
is high in the sky, it can also be hard to tell it is larger.
To get the
best view, Pascal Descamps of the Paris Observatory advised choosing somewhere
with a well-known landmark in the foreground for comparison.
Supermoons
are actually quite common -- there is one every 14 months on average.
"But
some supermoons are more super than others," said Descamps.
 |
A supermoon
is seen behind the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft on the launch pad
at the
Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on
November 14, 2016 (AFP
Photo/Kirill Kudryavtsev)
|
'Supercloud'
After Asia
it was the Middle East, Africa, Europe then North and South America's turn to
peer upwards, with eager moongazers on all continents heading to popular
landmarks to see the supermoon up close -- with mixed results.
In Athens,
the hundreds gathered at the ancient Acropolis were treated to the sight of the
massive orb rising between the monument's famous columns, bathing the site in
its glow.
But thick
clouds spoiled the show in several European capitals including London, Paris,
Berlin and Rome.
Amateur
photographers took up positions on London's Waterloo Bridge hoping to see the
moon rise above St Paul's Cathedral, but cloud had blanketed the sky all day
and mobile apps were the only way to track the moon's progress.
In Poland,
the great rivalry between Warsaw and the old royal capital Krakow reared its
head as heavy clouds thwarted moongazers in the former. But in Krakow, further
south, the massive moon rose victoriously above the clouds.
"I
think the moon is more golden than usual -- it doesn't have the usual cold
silver color," said Roman Kwiatkowski, a Krakow psychotherapist making use
of his large balcony to enjoy the spectacle.
Parts of
east Africa also had an excellent view, from Nairobi to Dar es Salaam.
Johannesburg
got a storm instead, with one disgruntled Twitter user, @Runningflyhalf,
renaming the phenomenon "supercloud."
But in Cape
Town, thousands of people were rewarded for making the hour-long trudge up
Lion's Head mountain with the sight of the huge moon reflecting off the
glimmering bay below.
"I
think it's well worth waiting another 34 years to see it," tourist guide
Leslie Edgar, 30, told AFP. "I will do it again. It was
spectacular."
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