Supermoon spotters thwarted by superclouds as typical British weather spoils the view of rare spectacle
Skygazers waiting to see the biggest and brightest full moon for 68 years were frustrated by a thick blanket of cloud across most of Britain
BRITONS hoping to see the biggest supermoon for 68 years were frustrated by superclouds blanketing the country this evening.
Typical British overcast conditions thwarted skygazers waiting for a glimpse of the rare spectacle - which was clearly visible from many countries all over the world but in very few parts of the UK.
Skygazers hoping for a good view from Glastonbury Tor in Somerset were thwarted by thick cloud
Astronomers said today's full moon would appear 14 per cent larger and 30 per cent brighter than usual as Earth's natural satellite swung to the nearest point in its elliptical orbit.
The event - described as "undeniably beautiful" by American space agency Nasa - will not be matched until the moon makes a similar close approach in 2034.
It thrilled millions in New York, Frankfurt, Cape Town, Beijing and Sydney - but the much anticipated sight turned out to be a damp squib for most of us in soggy Britain.
YouTube star Tobjizzle was among those frustrated by the weather.
He tweeted a picture of boxes of doughnuts saying: "Gutted that clouds stopped me seeing the super moon😭 but should have a decent night watching planet earth 2 and eating these👀🍩"
As Twitter users posted snaps of disappointing views from London to the Hebrides, one said: "Major astronomical event? Cue thick cloud #supermoon #where #icantseeit."
Another joked: "Super moon. Also known as that slightly brighter patch of cloud than the rest of the sky."
Jack Holmes tweeted: "You wait 70 years for the supermoon and it's cloudy!".
And one amateur snapper said the view from Stornoway was "a bit crap really".
But Belfast, Aberdeen and Northumberland were among the few parts of the UK to get lucky, while clouds parted briefly in Birmingham to reveal a stunning full moon over the city skyline.
Photographer Andrew Fusek Peters also captured a striking image of a yellow moon appearing enormous as it rose over Caer Caradoc in Shropshire this evening.
Simon Partridge of the Met Office said Aberdeenshire in Scotland and north-eastern parts of Wales had the clearest conditions for an unobstructed view.
He said: "There is a fair bit of cloud around. The moon might be 30 per cent brighter but I don't think it is bright enough to get through all that cloud."
There is hope for those who missed the moon on Monday, with clearer skies forecast for areas north of the M4 on Tuesday.
Dr Marek Kukula, public astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, said: "It's been a cloudy night for most of the UK and even a supermoon can't get through thick clouds.
"Tuesday's moon will be almost as large and bright as Monday's, so we still have a chance to enjoy the sight if the weather obliges."
The Met Office said visibility should be better on Tuesday for areas from Luton and Bristol northwards, although viewers will not see a true full moon.
The moon's proximity to the horizon caused an optical illusion known as the "low-hanging moon" effect, where it can be measured against familiar objects such as trees and houses.
And some parts of the world also enjoyed the spectacle of a "blood moon" when light is filtered by the Earth's atmosphere and the moon glows red.
Thousands thronged the waterfronts in Sydney, Hong Kong and Bangkok as the cities were lit up by the extra-bright moon - but in Delhi residents' view was blocked by the thick smog and pollution that has blighted the capital for weeks.
Earlier on Monday the gap between the Earth and the moon closed to its shortest point, known as the perigee - a distance of 221,525 miles. The last time the moon was this close to the Earth was in 1948, prompting Nasa to call this one an "extra-supermoon".
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The reason the distance varies is the moon's slightly elongated orbit.
On average, it is 238,900 miles from the Earth, but at the perigee it is about five per cent closer.
At its furthest orbital point from the Earth, the apogee, it is five per cent more distant.
Perigee and apogee distances vary from month to month due to several factors, such as whether the long axis of the lunar orbit is pointed towards the sun.
Supermoons are relatively common, with one around every 14 months - but Pascal Descamps of the Paris Observatory said: "Some supermoons are more super than others."
Monday's event was billed as the biggest and best in a series of three supermoons this year. The first was on October 16 and the third is due on December 14.
The next time the moon will be as close is in 2034.
Affelia Wibisono, an astronomer who presents planetarium shows at the Royal Observatory, said the phenomenon could help kindle an interest in astronomy.
She said: "I've been teaching school children all morning, and every single one of them was asking me about the supermoon.
"It really has sparked an interest."
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