SINGAPORE: The Sturgeon Moon, the first of two supermoons in August, was seen over Singapore on Tuesday (Aug 1) night.
Supermoons are a phenomenon that occurs when the moon’s orbit is closest to Earth, making the moon appear larger and brighter than usual, according to the Science Centre Observatory.
The observatory added that the Sturgeon Moon is the "second closest supermoon to our planet this year, after the Blue Moon" - which will rise at the end of the month on Aug 31.
The Sturgeon Moon will reach its highest point in the sky at 1am on Wednesday, said the observatory.
CNA reader A Kannan captured photos of the supermoon from Woodlands.
"The first of two full supermoons in the month of August 2023 dazzled the skies tonight," he said, adding that the Sturgeon Moon had risen at about 7.10pm.
"The moon was about 357,800km away from Earth when this picture was taken from Woodlands this evening at about 8pm."
Mr Kannan added that the skies were initially cloudy and he had to wait for more than 30 minutes for the moon to be visible.
The Sturgeon Moon sighted at Woodlands Avenue 5 on Aug 1, 2023. (Photo: A Kannan)
The Sturgeon Moon sighted at Woodlands Avenue 5 on Aug 1, 2023. (Photo: A Kannan)
The Sturgeon Moon sighted at Woodlands Avenue 5 on Aug 1, 2023. (Photo: A Kannan)
The Sturgeon Moon sighted from Marina Bay on Aug 1, 2023. (CNA/Syamil Sapari)
The Sturgeon Moon over Singapore on Aug 1, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Gaya Chandramohan)
The Sturgeon Moon over Singapore on Aug 1, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Gaya Chandramohan)
A man taking a picture of the supermoon on this phone. (Photo: CNA/Gaya Chandramohan)
The supermoon was seen by stargazers across the globe, from the United States to Türkiye.
The waxing Sturgeon supermoon rises above the Tidal Basin and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington, late Monday, Jul 31, 2023. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
The moon is seen over the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque in Istanbul, Türkiye early Aug 1, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Dilara Senkaya)
The waxing gibbous moon rises behind trees on a hill in Jindayris, in the rebel-held part of Syria's northwestern province of Aleppo, on Jul 31, 2023 a day ahead of the "sturgeon supermoon". (Photo: AFP/Rami Al Sayed)
Missed out on this supermoon? Astronomy fans will have another chance to catch another supermoon at the end of the month.
The Blue Moon, expected to be the brightest and closest supermoon to the Earth this year, will rise on Aug 31, at 7.34pm from the east.
Stargazers can also expect to see the Perseid meteor shower on Aug 12 and Aug 13 when it peaks from 4am.
According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Persied is "considered the best meteor shower of the year".
Continue reading...
Supermoons are a phenomenon that occurs when the moon’s orbit is closest to Earth, making the moon appear larger and brighter than usual, according to the Science Centre Observatory.
The observatory added that the Sturgeon Moon is the "second closest supermoon to our planet this year, after the Blue Moon" - which will rise at the end of the month on Aug 31.
The Sturgeon Moon will reach its highest point in the sky at 1am on Wednesday, said the observatory.
CNA reader A Kannan captured photos of the supermoon from Woodlands.
"The first of two full supermoons in the month of August 2023 dazzled the skies tonight," he said, adding that the Sturgeon Moon had risen at about 7.10pm.
"The moon was about 357,800km away from Earth when this picture was taken from Woodlands this evening at about 8pm."
Mr Kannan added that the skies were initially cloudy and he had to wait for more than 30 minutes for the moon to be visible.
The Sturgeon Moon sighted at Woodlands Avenue 5 on Aug 1, 2023. (Photo: A Kannan)
The Sturgeon Moon sighted at Woodlands Avenue 5 on Aug 1, 2023. (Photo: A Kannan)
The Sturgeon Moon sighted at Woodlands Avenue 5 on Aug 1, 2023. (Photo: A Kannan)
The Sturgeon Moon sighted from Marina Bay on Aug 1, 2023. (CNA/Syamil Sapari)
The Sturgeon Moon over Singapore on Aug 1, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Gaya Chandramohan)
The Sturgeon Moon over Singapore on Aug 1, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Gaya Chandramohan)
A man taking a picture of the supermoon on this phone. (Photo: CNA/Gaya Chandramohan)
The supermoon was seen by stargazers across the globe, from the United States to Türkiye.
The waxing Sturgeon supermoon rises above the Tidal Basin and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington, late Monday, Jul 31, 2023. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
The moon is seen over the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque in Istanbul, Türkiye early Aug 1, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Dilara Senkaya)
The waxing gibbous moon rises behind trees on a hill in Jindayris, in the rebel-held part of Syria's northwestern province of Aleppo, on Jul 31, 2023 a day ahead of the "sturgeon supermoon". (Photo: AFP/Rami Al Sayed)
Missed out on this supermoon? Astronomy fans will have another chance to catch another supermoon at the end of the month.
The Blue Moon, expected to be the brightest and closest supermoon to the Earth this year, will rise on Aug 31, at 7.34pm from the east.
Stargazers can also expect to see the Perseid meteor shower on Aug 12 and Aug 13 when it peaks from 4am.
According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Persied is "considered the best meteor shower of the year".
Continue reading...