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Supermoon Sinking
Credit: ESA/NASA
The Supermoon appears to be sinking into the atmosphere. The image was taken by André Kuipers from aboard the ISS on May 5, 2012.
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Supermoon over Manhattan
Credit: Gary Hershorn/Reuters
Seen from West Orange, New Jersey, the full moon hangs over the Manhattan skyline like a celestial clementine Sunday night. In general, the moon appears redder near the horizon, because its light is passing through more of our planet's thick atmosphere than when the moon is higher—the atmosphere tends to scatter blue light, letting mostly red wavelengths through.
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Supermoon 2012 Rises Over Entiat: Tim McCord
Credit: Tim McCord
The supermoon of 2012 rises over Entiat, Wash., in this photo by skywatcher Tim McCord snapped on May 5, 2012.
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Supermoon 2012 Over Mumbai: Jatin Raval
Credit: Jatin Raval
Skywatcher Jatin Raval snapped this serene view of the 2012 supermoon, the full moon of may, between palm trees near Juhu Beach in Mumbai, India, on May 5, 2012.
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Supermoon and Space Needle
Credit: Quynh Ton/National Geographic Your Shot
While a treat for sky-watchers, the supermoon (pictured behind Seattle's Space Needle this weekend) on Saturday wasn't a rare event: The full moon coincides with lunar perigee about once a year, on average. And because the size of the moon's orbit varies slightly, each monthly perigee is not always the same distance from Earth.
March 2011, for example, saw the closest supermoon in two decades—a mere 221,565 miles (356,575 kilometers) from Earth. (See
pictures of last year's supermoon.)
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Supermoon 2012 Over Oahu: James Davidson
Credit: James Davidson
The supermoon of 2012 shines bright over Oahu, Hawaii as two skywatchers look on in this amazing view from observer James Davidson on May 5, 2012 during the May full moon.
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Supermoon 2012 from Woburn: Imelda Joson/Edwin Aguirre
Credit: Imelda Joson and Edwin Aguirre
Veteran astrophotographers Imelda Joson and Edwin Aguirre captured this view of the supermoon of 2012, the full moon of May, on May 5, 2012, from Woburn, Mass.
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Flattened Moonbeams
Credit: ESA/NASA
Flattened moonbeams appear to look like liquid in this image of the supermoon. The image was taken by André Kuipers from aboard the ISS on May 5, 2012.
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Supermoon over Rio
Credit: Victor R. Caivano/AP
The golden disk of a full moon rests over a Rio de Janeiro shantytown on Sunday. No major effects on Earth have so far been linked to supermoons, the Adler Planetarium's Gyuk emphasized. "Supermoons have been happening for billions of years, and nothing particularly special occurs on these dates—except, of course, for a beautiful full moon."
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Supermoon 2012 from Pisa, Italy: Giuseppe Petricca
Credit: Giuseppe Petricca
Skywatcher Giueseppe Petricca of Pisa, Italy, caught this view of the 2012 supermoon, the May full moon, rising just before sunset in Pisa, Italy on May 5, 2012. Petricca used a NikonNikon P90 digital camera and ISO100.
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Supermoon 2012 in Manchester, Wash.: Tonya Traylor
Credit: Tonya Traylor
The supermoon of 2012 shines bright in a cloud-spattered sky in this view from skywatcher Tonya Traylor from Manchester, Wash., on May 5, 2012.
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Blue Sky and Supermoon
Credit: ESA/NASA
The blue colours of our atmosphere are a beautiful contrast with the supermoon. The image was taken by André Kuipers from aboard the ISS on May 5, 2012.
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What Makes a 'Supermoon' Full Moon Super
Credit: Karl Tate/SPACE.com
Learn what makes a big full moon a true 'supermoon' in this SPACE.com infographic.
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Supermoon 2012 from Woburn: Imelda Joson/Edwin Aguirre
Credit: Imelda Joson and Edwin Aguirre
Veteran astrophotographers Imelda Joson and Edwin Aguirre captured this view of the supermoon of 2012, the full moon of May, on May 5, 2012, from Woburn, Mass.
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Supermoon 2012 Over Florida: Dion Paul
Credit: Dion Paul
Palm fronds frame the supermoon of 2012 in this striking photo from skywatcher Dion Paul, who watched the biggest full moon of the year rise over Jacksonville, Fla., on May 5, 2012.
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Supermoon 2012: Karthikeyan VJ
Credit: Karthikeyan VJ
Skywatcher Karthikeyan VJ snapped this view of the supermoon of 2012, the full moon of May, from Tallinn, Estonia, on May 5, 2012.
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2012 Supermoon Over San Francisco
Credit: Mike Wall/SPACE.com
SPACE.com reporter Mike Wall snapped this photo of the supermoon over the western part of San Francisco on May 5, 2012.
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Supermoon 2012 Over Toronto: Reuben Opena
Credit: Reuben Opena
The supermoon of 2012 rises over Toronto, Ontario in Canada in this spectacular photo by skywatcher Reuben Opena taken on May 5, 2012 during the biggest full moon of the year.
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Supermoon 2012 from Walnut Creek, Calif.: Wayne Louie
Credit: Wayne Louie
Skywatcher Wayne Louie snapped this view of the May 2012 full moon, a so-called "supermoon," from Walnut Creek, Calif., on the evening of May 5, 2012.
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Supermoon 2012 in Manchester, Wash.: Tonya Traylor
Credit: Tonya Traylor
Wispy clouds cover part of the supermoon of 2012 in this photo from skywatcher Tonya Traylor in Manchester, Wash., on May 5, 2012.
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Supermoon 2012 in Turin, Italy: Stefano De Rosa
Credit: Stefano De Rosa
Photographer and skywatcher Stefano De Rosa snapped this amazing view of the May 2012 "supermoon," the full moon at perigee, as it appeared in Turin, Italy.
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Supermoon 2012 from San Francisco: Lisa Delapo
Credit: Lisa Delapo
Skywatcher Lisa Delapo used a reflector telescope to capture this view of the supermoon of 2012, the May full moon, from the San Francisco Bay Area in California on May 5, 2012.
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Supermoon 2012 from Walnut Creek, Calif.: Wayne Louie
Credit: Wayne Louie
Skywatcher Wayne Louie snapped this view of the May 2012 full moon, a so-called "supermoon," from Walnut Creek, Calif., on the evening of May 5, 2012.
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Supermoon 2012 from Pisa, Italy: Giuseppe Petricca
Credit: Giuseppe Petricca
Skywatcher Giueseppe Petricca of Pisa, Italy, caught this view of the 2012 supermoon, the May full moon, from Pisa, Italy on May 5, 2012. Petricca used a NikonNikon P90 digital camera and ISO100.
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Supermoon 2012 from Jordan: Carra Almond
Credit: Carra Almond
Skywatcher Carra Almond snapped this view of the suppermoon of 2012, May's full moon, from Amman, Jordan on May 5, 2012, using a digital camera.
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Supermoon 2012 from Noida, India: Roopesh Kumar Singh
Credit: Roopesh Kumar Singh
Skywatcher Roopesh Kumar Singh caught this view of the 2012 supermoon, the full moon of May, from Noida, India, on May 5, 2012.
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Supermoon 2012 Over Ohio: Brett Hoffman
Credit: Brett Hoffman
This photo of the 2012 supermoon comes from skywatcher Brett Hoffman, who captured the full moon of May rising over Worthington, Ohio, on May 5, 2012.
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Supermoon 2012 Over Mumbai: Jatin Raval
Credit: Jatin Raval
The supermoon of 2012 shines through tree leaves near Juhu Beach in Mumbai, India, in this photo from skywatcher Jatin Raval taken on May 5, 2012.
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Supermoon Glowing in Night Sky
Credit: ESA/NASA
A supermoon occurs when the full moon is seen at the shortest distance from Earth. The image was taken by André Kuipers from aboard the ISS on May 5, 2012.
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Supermoon 2012 Over Hampton Beach: Uli Creighton
Credit: Uli Creighton
Skywatcher Uli Creighton snapped this photo of the May full moon, a so-called supermoon, from Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, on May 5, 2012.
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Supermoon 2012 Over Oahu: James Davidson
Credit: James Davidson
This photo from James Davidson shows the supermoon of 2012 as seen from Ewa Beach Park on Oahu, Hawaii, on May 5, 2012 during the May full moon. A cruise ship is also visible as it departs Honolulu.
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Supermoon 2012 Over Kansas City: Cindy Hiles
Credit: Cindy Hiles
Photographer Cindy Hiles took this photo of the 2012 supermoon, the full moon of May, over the Liberty Memorial of the World War I museum in Kansas City, Missouri, on May 5, 2012.
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Supermoon Rising over Nipomo, CA
Credit: Shawn Vasquez
Shawn Vasquez caught the supermoon on May 5, 2012, from a vantage point in Nipomo, California. Nipomo lies about 10 miles south of Pismo Beach
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Supermoon over Linlithgow Palace, Scotland
Credit: Iain Spowart
Skywatcher Iain Spowart caught the supermoon over Linlithgow Palace, Scotland on May 5, 2012. He writes: " ... the streak in the sky is a Chinese Lantern which someone had let off — would have been nice if it was a meteor but I can only dream."
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Supermoon and Fireball over Costa Adeje, Tenerife
Credit: Roberto Porto
Skywatcher Roberto Porto snapped this photo of the supermoon plus a bonus fireball over Costa Adeje, Tenerife on May 5, 2012.
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Supermoon over Tenerife
Credit: Roberto Porto
Skywatcher Roberto Porto took this photo of the supermoon in Costa Adeje, Tenerife, Spain, on May 5, 2012.
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Supermoon over Tenerife Buildings
Credit: Roberto Porto
Skywatcher Roberto Porto took this photo of the supermoon over buildings in Costa Adeje, Tenerife, Spain, on May 5, 2012.
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Supermoon over Bath, Ontario, Canada
Credit: Matt Molloy
Matt Molloy caught the supermoon over Bath, Ontario, Canada, on May 5, 2012.
