The best pictures of the super blood moon

A RARE double celestial treat emerged across the world when a total lunar eclipse combined with a so-called supermoon turned our moon blood red.

Marcia Dunn, AP and with Network Writers

2 min read

September 28, 2015 - 2:27PM

News Corp Australia Network

STARGAZERS got a double celestial treat when a total lunar eclipse combined with a so-called supermoon.

Those in the United States, Europe, Africa and western Asia saw the rare coupling, weather permitting, today.

It’s the first time the events have made a twin appearance since 1982, and they won’t again until 2033.

When a full moon makes its closest approach to Earth, it appears bigger and brighter than usual and is known as a supermoon.

That will coincide with a full lunar eclipse where the moon, Earth and sun will be lined up, with Earth’s shadow totally obscuring the moon.

The event occurred on the U.S. East Coast at 10.11PM EDT (12pm AEST) and lasted about an hour.

In Europe, the action will unfold before dawn Monday.

Although still about 354,055 km away, it was still the closest full moon of the year, about 48,280km closer than the average distance. (The moon’s orbit is far from a perfect circle.)

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The so-called supermoon rises over Pacific Tower in Seattle's Beacon Hill area. Picture: AP

The so-called supermoon is seen through branches of a tree during a lunar eclipse in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Picture: AP

The supermoon near Lecompton, Kansas. Picture: AP

The moon seen from in Siliguri, India. Picture: AP

How the supermoon looked over the eastern hills of Orange County in California. Picture: AP

A supermoon rises over the Lower Fox Creek School near Strong City, Kansas. Picture: AP

The moon appears behind the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Picture: AFP

A paddle border looks out at the supermoon from the water off Padre Island Balli park in Corpus Christi, Texas. Picture: AP

Palm branches frame the moon as earth's shadow obscures the view of a so-called supermoon causing a red cast during a total lunar eclipse as seen from Tempe, Arizona. Picture: AP

The supermoon rises behind Glastonbury Tor in Somerset, England. Picture: Getty

The supermoon next to the statue of the angel Moroni atop the Los Angeles California Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in Los Angeles. Picture: AP

A flock of birds fly by as a perigee moon, also known as a supermoon, rises in Mir, Belarus. Picture: AP

A perigee moon rises in the sky above the La Concha Beach, in San Sebastian, northern Spain. Picture: AP

A supermoon rises in the sky before a total lunar eclipse at Wrigley Field, Chicago. Picture: AP

How the supermoon looked in Panama City. Picture: AP

This eclipse marks the end of a tetrad, or series of four total lunar eclipses set six months apart. This series began in April 2014.

The 21st century will see eight of these tetrads, an uncommonly good run. From 1600 to 1900, there were none.

NASA planetary scientist Noah Petro is hoping the celestial event will ignite more interest in the moon. He is deputy project scientist for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, which has been studying the moon from lunar orbit since 2009.

The moon is seen against the peak of the tomb of Jama Masjid in New Delhi. Picture: AFP

The full moon is seen on the city skyline as Indian devotees carry statues of elephant-headed Hindu god Lord Ganesha for immersion in the Arabian Sea in Mumbai. Picture: AFP

The full moon rises behind Lisbon’s St. George castle. Picture: AP / Armando Franca

Rising big and full in Lausanne, Switzerland. Picture: AFP

An Indian man leans on a wall on top of a building in New Delhi as the moon does time as a backdrop. Picture: AFP

A full moon shines behind a tower of the Jama Masjid mosque in New Delhi. Picture: AFP / Roberto Schmidt

“The moon’s a dynamic place,” Petro said.

“We’re seeing changes on the surface of the moon from LRO. We’re seeing that it’s not this static dead body in the sky ... it’s this great astronomical object that we have in our backyard, essentially. So people should get out and start looking at it.”

Many stargazers, professional and amateur alike, dislike the term “supermoon,” noting the visible difference between a moon and supermoon is slight to all but the most faithful observers.

“It’s not like the difference between an ordinary man and Superman,” said Alan MacRobert, a senior editor at Sky & Telescope magazine. “It really ought to be called a tiny, slightly little bit bigger moon, rather than the supermoon.”