Thursday, March 31, 2011

Very close encounters of the 'super moon' kind: Amazing pictures of our lunar neighbour... the nearest it's been in 20 years

Very close encounters of the 'super moon' kind: Amazing pictures of our lunar neighbour... the nearest it's been in 20 years

It looks like an intergalactic pilot is trying to cut the moon in half. In fact, this memorable image was created by a very Earthly vapour trail from a plane.
The shot is one of many extraordinary pictures of our nearest neighbour taken across the world this weekend, including a magical one below at Glastonbury Tor, Somerset.
As well as being full, the moon is currently relatively close to the Earth.
On Saturday it was 220,625 miles away, making it seem brighter and yellower and creating the eye-catching 'super moon' effect.
It was the first time since January 19, 1992, that the moon has been so close to the Earth. At its furthest, it can be 250,000 miles away.

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An aircraft flies past the moon over Somerset on Saturday night as it is at its closest point to the earth for almost two decades. It appears the moon is being sliced in half.

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Revellers stand beside St Michael's Tower on Glastonbury Tor, Somerset, watching the moon as it is at its closest point to Earth for two decades


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The full moon is seen as it rises near the Lincoln Memorial, in Washington DC


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Moonhattan: The oversized moon adds to the lights of New York City as it rises over the city skyline



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Something for everyone: Tourists, star-gazers and simple star-crossed lovers gathered to watch the moon rise over New York's East River


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The moon is seen behind the top of the radio and television tower 'Funkturm' in Berlin


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The moon as seen from the end of Worthing Pier in Sussex, looking east towards Beachy Head



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In the backdrop of a minaret of a mosque, over Karachi city, Pakistan.


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A seagull flies in front of a full perigee moon in Yangon, Myanmar


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A rugby match in Headingley, Leeds is bathed in an orange glow