Photographers have captured the stunning March super ‘worm’ moon as it lights up natural landmarks, modern buildings and ancient monuments across the globe.
The ‘worm moon’, named that way to represent the beginning of springtime, reached its peak brightness in the sky over the UK at about 17:48 GMT on Monday.
It was a ‘spectacularly bright’ moon, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, who said it appeared about seven per cent larger than a normal full moon.
Among the amazing images taken around the world, a spectacular photograph showing the moon rising over an ancient ridge in the picturesque Shropshire Hills was captured during ‘a brief window in the cloud’.
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The ‘worm moon’ over Manstone Rock on the Stiperstones ridge in Shropshire. The March full moon is a supermoon, 7.5 per cent bigger than normal
The Worm Moon is seen here setting behind Stonehenge in Wiltshire as the supermoon reached perigee but was partly obscured by clouds covering much of the UK
This view of the Super Full Worm Moon was taken in Santander, Cantabria, northern Spain. The ‘worm moon’, named that way to represent the beginning of springtime, reached its peak brightness in the sky over the UK at about 17:48 GMT on Monday
The Super Worm Moon rises the torch of the Statue of Liberty in New York City on March 9, 2020. It was a ‘spectacularly bright’ moon, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, who said it appeared about seven per cent larger than a normal full moon
In this Monday, March 9, 2020 photo the full moon is pictured over Berlin, Germany. Astronomers say the best time to photograph a full super moon is at its peak – which was 17:48 GMT over the UK on Monday evening
A supermoon occurs when the full moon nearly coincides with perigee – the point in the orbit of the moon at which it is nearest to the Earth and where it can appear anything up to 30 per cent larger than normal.
Full moon names, which are used to describe the supermoons, were historically used to track the seasons and therefore are closely related to nature.
‘Worm Moon’ is the common name for March’s full moon because at the time it appears the ground begins to soften and heaps of soil left by worms start to appear.
This invites the return of birds to feed, which is seen as a sign of springtime starting to return after a long winter.
The super Full Worm Moon rises over a wind turbine farm near Villeveyrac. A supermoon occurs when the full moon nearly coincides with perigee – the point in the orbit of the moon at which it is nearest to the Earth
An aircraft passes the rising full moon at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany. At perigee it can appear anything up to 30 per cent larger than normal
Full moon rises over two crows sit on a lamppost in Turkey’s eastern Van province. Full moon names, which are used to describe the supermoons, were historically used to track the seasons and therefore are closely related to nature
The full Worm Moon sets in the west behind 14,115-foot Pikes Peak Monday morning, March 9, 2020, as the sun begins to rise in the east and a new day begins in the Colorado Springs, Colorado, area. The March full moon is referred to as the Worm Moon because earthworms and grubs tend to emerge from their winter dormancy at this time of year, a sign spring is near
A Full Worm Supermon rises over the Williamsburg Waterfront Apartments in Brooklyn. The worm moon link to springtime comes from the worms starting to appear from softening soil which invites the return of birds to feed, which is seen as a sign of springtime starting to return after a long winter
There will be two additional supermoons this season – April 8, when a ‘Pink Moon’ will be 221,851 miles from Earth, and the ‘Flower Moon’ on May 7, at 224,429 miles away.
Dr Daniel Brown, an astronomy expert at Nottingham Trent University said supermoons often encourage people to go out and take their first steps in astrophotography thinking the moon will be much larger than normal.
‘However, in reality supermoons are never huge at all so don’t get fooled in thinking that you can see it being larger than usual,’ he said.
‘Supermoons appear only 14% larger than the smallest possible moon –so it would be very difficult to recall its smallest apparent size when that happened in September last year?
‘The so-called ‘moon illusion’ will make the moon appear much larger than it really is, when it is close to the horizon, but that happens for any full moon or moon phase you observe.
‘So go out there, enjoy spotting the moon and watching it rise and glide through the sky.’
Full moon shining over the city of Duzce, Turkey on March 10, 2020. There will be two additional supermoons this season – April 8, when a ‘Pink Moon’ will be 221,851 miles from Earth, and the ‘Flower Moon’ on May 7, at 224,429 miles away
The full moon rises behind buildings and a tree in Elazig, Turkey. Dr Daniel Brown, an astronomy expert at Nottingham Trent University said supermoons often encourage people to go out and take their first steps in astrophotography thinking the moon will be much larger than normal
The full moon is seen behind a silhouette of a man and a horse and dog in Turkey’s eastern Bingol province. ‘The so-called ‘moon illusion’ will make the moon appear much larger than it really is, when it is close to the horizon, but that happens for any full moon or moon phase you observe,’ says Dr Daniel Brown
A person standing on the platform of the Jupiter Lighthouse looks at the supermoon as it is partially obscured by a cloud. The Worm Moon is the second of the supermoons to grace the sky this year, following the ‘Snow Moon’ in early February, so-called as it often coincides with heavy snowfall
WHAT IS A SUPERMOON?
A ‘supermoon’ appears to us as a larger-than-usual Moon in our night sky.
A supermoon takes place when the moon is full and its orbit at its perigee point is closest to Earth.
As the moon orbits in an ellipse its closest point – the perigee – will come very close to earth. The farthest point of the ellipse is called the apogee.
When a full moon appears at perigee, the moon looks brighter and larger than a regular moon, hence the nickname supermoon.
The Worm Moon is the second of the supermoons to grace the sky this year, following the ‘Snow Moon’ in early February, so-called as it often coincides with heavy snowfall.
It is also known as the Crow Moon as the crows are one of the first birds that breeds in early spring and they now start to make more noise and are more active.
The supermoon on November 14, 2016 was the closest full supermoon since January 26, 1948, and will not be surpassed until November 25, 2034, according to Earth Sky.
The closest full supermoon of the 21st century will occur on December 6, 2052.
Astronomers differ on what they believe constitutes a ‘supermoon’ – however, the original definition as coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979 puts it as a full moon or new moon that comes within 90 per cent of its closest approach to Earth.
If possible, the best time to view the full moon is when it is close to the horizon, due to an optical illusion that makes it appear bigger due to its relative size compared to buildings, trees and other objects in the foreground.
Two birds fly past the full moon, known as Worm Moon, in Moscow. It is also known as the Crow Moon as the crows are one of the first birds that breeds in early spring and they now start to make more noise and are more active
The super worm moon is partly obscured by clouds as it climbs over the Portomaso Business Tower in St Julian’s, Malta. The supermoon on November 14, 2016 was the closest full supermoon since January 26, 1948, and will not be surpassed until November 25, 2034, according to Earth Sky
A plane passes in front of the full moon as seen from Curitiba, Brazil on March 9, 2020. The closest full supermoon of the 21st century will occur on December 6, 2052
epaselect epa08282312 A view of the super moon, above the Convent of Santa Cruz de la Popa, in Cartagena, Colombia. The original definition of a supermoon, as coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979 puts it as a full moon or new moon that comes within 90 per cent of its closest approach to Earth
Supermoon shines over Camlica mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. If possible, the best time to view the full moon is when it is close to the horizon, due to an optical illusion that makes it appear bigger due to its relative size compared to buildings, trees and other objects in the foreground
The Supermoon rises behind the iconic steeple of the Unitarian Church in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. Astronomers advise photographers to download apps and maps to track the progress of the moon across the sky, in order to make sightings easie
Astronomers advise photographers to download apps and maps to track the progress of the moon across the sky, in order to make sightings easier.
Andrew Fusek Peters, 54, captured a breathtaking scene over Manstone Rock in the Stiperstones National Nature Reserve, Shropshire, around 18:00 GMT on Monday.
The peaks of the Stiperstones have slowly shattered through the process of freezing and thawing until they assumed their distinctive and brooding formations.
Fusek said: ‘The moon was rising up but I was at the wrong spot, I was two miles away. So I drove like a maniac across the Shropshire countryside.
‘There was a gap in the clouds. Using a very long lens and double extender, the moon looked crazy big. I am pretty pleased.’
Andrew Fusek Peters, 54, captured this breathtaking scene over Manstone Rock in the Stiperstones National Nature Reserve, Shropshire, around 18:00 GMT on Monday using a telephoto lens allowing you to see the details of the satellite
FULL MOON NAMES AND THEIR MEANINGS
January: Wolf Moon because wolves were heard more often at this time.
February: Snow Moon to coincide with heavy snow.
March: Worm Moon as the Sun increasingly warmed the soil and earthworms became active.
April: Pink Moon as it heralded the appearance of Phlox subulata or moss pink – one of spring’s first flowers.
May: Flower Moon because of the abundance of blossoms.
June: Strawberry Moon because it appeared when the strawberry harvest first took place.
July: Buck Moon as it arrived when a male deer’s antlers were in full growth mode.
August: Sturgeon Moon after the large fish that was easily caught at this time.
September: Corn Moon because this was the time to harvest corn.
October: Hunter’s Moon after the time to hunt in preparation for winter.
November: Beaver Moon because it was the time to set up beaver traps.
December: Cold Moon because nights at this time of year were the longest.
Source: Old Farmer’s Almanac
